Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia and Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Unique Presentation of Kawasaki Disease. 2021

Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
Department of Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare, Madera, CA, USA.

Kawasaki disease is an acute multisystem vasculitis characterized by involvement of medium-sized vessels that mostly affects children under the age of 5 years. The presentation is typically preceded by five or more days of fever with additional clinical findings including rash, peripheral edema, mucositis, conjunctival changes, and unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. The most feared complication of Kawasaki disease is development of coronary artery aneurysms. Common laboratory abnormalities include normocytic anemia, thrombocytosis, leukocytosis, and elevated inflammatory markers. Immune-mediated cytopenias such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia are rarely seen at presentation in Kawasaki disease. We describe a unique case of a child presenting with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, who sequentially developed immune thrombocytopenia concerning for Evans' syndrome and eventually diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease with coronary artery dilatation. Characteristic clinical findings including extremity edema, cracked lips, and rash developed later in the course. Our patient was treated with IVIG and steroids with significant clinical improvement and complete resolution of cytopenias and coronary aneurysms on long term follow up. Timely administration of IVIG prevents and minimizes the risk of long term cardiac consequences. Hence a high index of suspicion should be maintained for this relatively common pediatric illness, even in absence of more commonly seen laboratory findings.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries

Related Publications

Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
October 1991, Minerva pediatrica,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
March 2015, Indian pediatrics,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
December 2020, Hematology/oncology and stem cell therapy,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
June 2016, Zhonghua er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of pediatrics,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
June 1993, International journal of hematology,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
October 1990, Transfusion,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
January 1986, The American journal of pediatric hematology/oncology,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
December 2019, La Revue de medecine interne,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
August 1962, Pediatric clinics of North America,
Chloe Kupelian, and Bindu Sathi, and Deepika Singh
September 1978, Archives of dermatology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!