Controversies in the management of Kawasaki disease. 2002

Bianca Lang, and Ciaran M Duffy
Division of Rheumatology, IWK Health Centre, 5850 University Ave, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada.

While there is a generally accepted standard approach to the management of Kawasaki disease (KD) in North America, controversy still exists regarding certain aspects of treatment. Do all patients require treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)? What is the appropriate dose of aspirin (ASA) during the acute phase of the disease? Is there a role for corticosteroids in those who fail IVIG? How should patients with atypical, incomplete or late presentations of KD be managed? What is the appropriate long-term management and follow-up, particularly for those without coronary artery abnormalities (CAA)? Is there a role for surgical intervention, particularly transplantation? These questions, among others, are explored with reference to the pertinent literature.IVIG has been well studied and shown to be efficacious in a number of studies and in two meta-analyses, with clear evidence to support the use of 2g/kg in a single dose. The appropriate dose of ASA during the acute phase is less clear but, increasingly, data suggest that lower doses of ASA are adequate and perhaps more appropriate. Corticosteroids appear to have a role in those who have failed IVIG but this requires further study before being embraced as accepted treatment. The management of less typical presentations of KD remains controversial, with inadequate data to direct us, although there is a general trend towards treating such patients with IVIG. Careful follow-up of all patients is recommended and, while there are guidelines for this, there is no clear consensus on the most appropriate monitoring investigations for those with and without CAA. There is an expanding role for transplantation, with clearly defined indications for this intervention.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009080 Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome An acute, febrile, mucocutaneous condition accompanied by swelling of cervical lymph nodes in infants and young children. The principal symptoms are fever, congestion of the ocular conjunctivae, reddening of the lips and oral cavity, protuberance of tongue papillae, and edema or erythema of the extremities. Kawasaki Disease,Lymph Node Syndrome, Mucocutaneous,Kawasaki Syndrome
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D005938 Glucocorticoids A group of CORTICOSTEROIDS that affect carbohydrate metabolism (GLUCONEOGENESIS, liver glycogen deposition, elevation of BLOOD SUGAR), inhibit ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE secretion, and possess pronounced anti-inflammatory activity. They also play a role in fat and protein metabolism, maintenance of arterial blood pressure, alteration of the connective tissue response to injury, reduction in the number of circulating lymphocytes, and functioning of the central nervous system. Glucocorticoid,Glucocorticoid Effect,Glucorticoid Effects,Effect, Glucocorticoid,Effects, Glucorticoid
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001241 Aspirin The prototypical analgesic used in the treatment of mild to moderate pain. It has anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties and acts as an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase which results in the inhibition of the biosynthesis of prostaglandins. Aspirin also inhibits platelet aggregation and is used in the prevention of arterial and venous thrombosis. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p5) Acetylsalicylic Acid,2-(Acetyloxy)benzoic Acid,Acetysal,Acylpyrin,Aloxiprimum,Colfarit,Dispril,Easprin,Ecotrin,Endosprin,Magnecyl,Micristin,Polopirin,Polopiryna,Solprin,Solupsan,Zorprin,Acid, Acetylsalicylic
D016027 Heart Transplantation The transference of a heart from one human or animal to another. Cardiac Transplantation,Grafting, Heart,Transplantation, Cardiac,Transplantation, Heart,Cardiac Transplantations,Graftings, Heart,Heart Grafting,Heart Graftings,Heart Transplantations,Transplantations, Cardiac,Transplantations, Heart
D016756 Immunoglobulins, Intravenous Immunoglobulin preparations used in intravenous infusion, containing primarily IMMUNOGLOBULIN G. They are used to treat a variety of diseases associated with decreased or abnormal immunoglobulin levels including pediatric AIDS; primary HYPERGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA; SCID; CYTOMEGALOVIRUS infections in transplant recipients, LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA, CHRONIC; Kawasaki syndrome, infection in neonates, and IDIOPATHIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA. Antibodies, Intravenous,Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin,IV Immunoglobulin,IVIG,Intravenous Antibodies,Intravenous Immunoglobulin,Intravenous Immunoglobulins,Alphaglobin,Endobulin,Flebogamma DIF,Gamimmune,Gamimmune N,Gamimune,Gamimune N,Gammagard,Gammonativ,Gamunex,Globulin-N,IV Immunoglobulins,Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human),Immune Globulin, Intravenous,Immunoglobulins, Intravenous, Human,Intraglobin,Intraglobin F,Intravenous IG,Intravenous Immunoglobulins, Human,Iveegam,Modified Immune Globulin (Anti-Echovirus Antibody),Privigen,Sandoglobulin,Venimmune,Venoglobulin,Venoglobulin-I,Globulin N,Human Intravenous Immunoglobulins,Immunoglobulin, Human Intravenous,Immunoglobulin, IV,Immunoglobulin, Intravenous,Immunoglobulins, Human Intravenous,Immunoglobulins, IV,Intravenous Immune Globulin,Intravenous Immunoglobulin, Human,Venoglobulin I

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