Saturday, October 4, 2025

Kawasaki disease

Vignette says a 5 year old female child presents to the emergency department with history of high grade fever and red eyes for 6 days; Examination shows red, cracked tongue, red lips, and a faint maculopapular rash initially on the trunk that has now spread to her limbs; Her palms and soles are red and swollen, and she has enlarged bilateral cervical lymph nodes; Laboratory studies show elevated inflammatory markers (i.e. elevated CRP and ESR); Echocardiography shows coronary artery aneurysms; Diagnosis?

Diagnosis is Kawasaki disease. 

Kawasaki disease (aka mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome) is an acute, self-limited medium vessel vasculitis of an unknown etiology commonly affecting children.

Fever for at least 5 days with any 4 out of the 5 “CRASH” features.
Conjunctivitis
Rash (polymorphous, non vesicular on trunk and extremities)
Adenopathy (i.e. bilateral non-suppurative cervical lymphadenopathy)
Strawberry tongue
Hands/Feet edema and erythema 

Diagnosis:-
1. CBC shows leukocytosis.
2. Inflammatory markers (e.g. CRP, ESR) are elevated.
3. Echocardiography shows coronary artery aneurysms.

Treatment:- Aspirin + IVIG is the mainstay of treatment and should be initiated within the first 10 days of fever onset; IVIG is given at 2 g/kg in a single infusion and high dose aspirin is given at 80–100 mg/kg/day during the acute phase of the disease; The dose is gradually reduced to 3–5 mg/kg/day when the patient has been afebrile for over 48-72 hours.

Complication:- Coronary artery aneurysms and Myocardial infarction.

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