Bilirubinuria: an early indicator of gallbladder hydrops associated with Kawasaki disease

We report four cases of gallbladder hydrops associated with Kawasaki disease diagnosed over a 7.5 year period. Despite varying clinical presentations, all four of these patients had the common finding of bilirubinuria prior to clinical symptoms or at the time of admission. Review of 40 other cases of Kawasaki disease without evidence of hydrops over this time period revealed that urinalysis had been performed in each and bilirubinuria was present in only one case. Bilirubinuria appears to be an early indicator of hydrops in these patients.