Clinical manifestations of kawasaki disease: What are the significant parameters.

The initial differential diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) from other acute febrile illnesses infants and children is particularly difficult in patients who exhibit incomplete criteria. The objective of this study was to de-termine the differences in the clinical and laboratory findings between KD patients and those who were initially sus-pected of having KD but eventually had other diagnoses. One hundred and fourteen pediatric patients who were initially diagnosed with suspected KD were included. Eighteen cases were finally diagnosed with another disease. The only demographic data that were significantly different between the groups were body height and the duration of fever. The KD group exhibited more classical clinical criteria than those who were finally diagnosed with another disease. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and platelet count were significantly higher in the KD group than in the non-KD group. An ESR ≥ 40 mm/hour had a diagnostic sensitivity of 90.5%, a specificity of 66.6%, a positive predictive value of 93.4%, and a negative predictive value of 57.1%. The incidence of coronary aneurysm in this study was 6.2%. There was no correlation between ESR and coronary aneurysm. We conclude that the clinical criteria are the basis for the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease but the ESR can be helpful in pediatric patients with acute febrile illness who do not exhibit all clinical criteria.

Arrhythmia in early post cardiac surgery in pediatrics: Siriraj experience.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence, risk factors and outcome of early postoperative arrhythmias in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prospective study was conducted in every pediatric patient who consecutively underwent open-heart surgery at Siriraj Hospital from January 1st to December 31st, 2006. The collected data were demographic data, diagnosis, pre-operative arrhythmia, cardiac surgical data and continuous electrocardiographic monitoring data throughout the post operative intensive care period. RESULTS: A total of 191 pediatric patients underwent cardiac surgery. Forty-five cases (23.5%) developed early post operative cardiac arrhythmias i.e. junctional ectopic tachycardia 18 cases (40%), heart block 7 cases (15.6%), supraventricular tachycardia 2 cases (4.4%). Cardiac arrhythmia occurred mostly within 24 hours after the operation. Patients with single ventricle physiology repaired developed the highest incidence of acute post operative arrhythmia (36.4%). Longer, cardiopulmonary bypass time- and redo-operation were the risk factors. Thirty-nine cases were treated with medications, 7 cases with temporary pacing, and 1 case with electrical cardioversion. Four patients needed long-term anti-arrhythmic agents. Cardiac arrhythmia played role in the causes of death in 2 cases (1.1% of total cases). CONCLUSIONS: Post operative arrhythmias remained common and important complications of pediatric open-heart surgery. Long cardiopulmonary bypass time and redo-operation were risk factors for early post operative arrhythmia.