Epidemiology of Kawasaki disease in Qatar [an Arabian gulf country]

Case records were reviewed retrospectively of 49 patients admitted between January 1992 and December 2002 to evaluate the epidemiologic pattern of Kawasaki disease [KD] in Qatar. Ages ranged from three months to nine years with a median of 28 months and a male/female ratio of 2.3:1. During the eleven years, the annual incidence varied from 2.5/100,000 to 20/100,000 and appears to be increasing. Most cases occurred in the cooler season [January-May] affecting predominantly males and children under five years of age with no apparent predilection for any section of the ethnically varied population