Morbidity prevalence rate of kawasaki disease assessed by single cross-sectional history-taking

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Cardiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Kawasaki disease (KD) requires long-term follow-up due to the risk of late-onset cardiac events, including sudden death.
• Current diagnostic methods do not identify individuals with past KD who are at high risk for future cardiac complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of Kawasaki disease among university freshmen.
• To identify high-risk individuals for cardiac events and inform crisis management strategies.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based survey was administered to 9,965 freshmen at the University of Tokyo.
• Parents/guardians completed the survey, detailing acute phase diagnostic criteria for Kawasaki disease.
• Students with a positive diagnosis underwent electrocardiography and echocardiography.

Main Results:

• The overall prevalence of Kawasaki disease was 0.57%, higher in males (0.63%) than females (0.32%).
• Rest and exercise-stress electrocardiography and routine echocardiography did not reveal specific indicators of past KD.
• Approximately 6 in 1000 students were identified as high-risk, requiring special attention during university.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of university students may have a history of Kawasaki disease, posing a risk for future cardiac events.
• Accurate identification of high-risk individuals necessitates detailed historical information from parents regarding childhood symptoms.
• Proactive identification and monitoring are essential for preventing severe cardiac outcomes in individuals with a history of Kawasaki disease.