Giant coronary artery aneurysms in a 12-week-old infant with incomplete Kawasaki disease

Lucy Guile1,2, Simon Parke3, Alison Kelly4

  • 1School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

BMJ Case Reports
|March 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Kawasaki disease (KD) can be difficult to diagnose in infants presenting with only fever and rash. Early consideration of KD and echocardiography are crucial for detecting coronary artery aneurysms in infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiology
  • Rheumatology

Background:

  • Kawasaki disease (KD) is a global acute inflammatory vasculitis predominantly affecting young male children.
  • Diagnosis can be challenging due to atypical presentations, especially in very young or older patients.

Observation:

  • A 12-week-old infant presented with fever and rash but lacked other typical KD symptoms.
  • This infant subsequently developed giant coronary artery aneurysms.

Findings:

  • The case underscores the diagnostic difficulty of Kawasaki disease in infants with limited symptoms.
  • Atypical presentations of KD can lead to severe cardiac complications like coronary artery aneurysms.

Implications:

  • Early consideration of Kawasaki disease is vital for febrile infants, even with non-specific symptoms.
  • Echocardiography plays a key role in investigating febrile infants with unclear infection sources, aiding in early detection of cardiac issues.
  • Prompt diagnosis and treatment of KD can prevent severe cardiovascular sequelae.

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