Epidemiological and clinical study of Kawasaki disease in a tertiary hospital in Makkah

ABSTRACT

This study involved 36 Kawasaki Disease patients diagnosed during the period from September 2000 to August 2004 at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Holy Makkah. Collected data included clinical features, laboratory results, echocardiogram findings, treatment, complications, and outcome. The average of 9 patients were diagnosed yearly, their age ranged from 6 months to 11 years and male to female ratio was 3.51. The clinical presentations were fever, skin rash and oral mucosa abnormalities [100%], desquamation of finger tips [88%], edema of palms and soles [77%], conjunctivitis [66%], and cervical lymphadenopathy [58%]. Seventy eight percent of cases presented in the summer and spring. Laboratory data showed leucocytosis, thrombocytosis, and high ESR. Echocardiography showed left coronary artery dilatation in 15 patients [42%], 10 of them [28%] had also right coronary artery dilatation. Coronary artery lesions had regressed in 11 cases [31%], while 4 patients [11%] progressed to giant aneurysms. Intravenous immunoglobulins [IVIGs] and aspirin were given. Neither cardiac dysfunction, nor valvular affection was observed; also, no recurrence and none died. In conclusions; although Kawasaki disease is a rare disease, 36 cases were diagnosed in Holy Makkah in 4 years, 4 of them progressed to giant coronary artery aneurysms. Increased awareness of the disease could help in early diagnosis and treatment and lower the rate of complications