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Kawasaki disease: an overview

Georgia S Pinna1, Dimitris A Kafetzis, Orestis I Tselkas

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece.

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
|May 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Kawasaki disease, a childhood vasculitis, requires better diagnostics due to increasing frequency. This review summarizes known features and latest findings on its causes and treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric rheumatology
  • Immunology
  • Vascular biology

Background:

  • Kawasaki disease is an acute, self-limited childhood vasculitis with increasing incidence.
  • Its etiology remains largely unknown, though infectious and genetic factors are implicated.
  • It is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of Kawasaki disease.
  • To highlight recent advancements in its diagnosis and treatment.
  • To synthesize current knowledge on epidemiology, etiology, pathology, and sequelae.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of historical and recent publications.
  • Synthesis of evidence on diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies.
  • Evaluation of genetic influences and long-term outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Inflammatory markers like CCL2 and CCXCL10 are relevant for diagnosis and pathology.
  • Intravenous immunoglobulin is the primary therapy, with alternatives for refractory cases.
  • Potential etiological factors include viruses, bacterial superantigens, and genetic polymorphisms.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding Kawasaki disease requires integrating historical, epidemiological, etiological, and genetic data.
  • Contemporary diagnostic techniques and therapeutic approaches are continually evolving.
  • Further research is crucial for improving outcomes and preventing long-term sequelae.
Abstract

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