Kawasaki disease is a childhood disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels, particularly medium-sized arteries like the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. It is also called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, because it affects lymph nodes and the mucous membranes of the lips, the tongue and inside the mouth.
Significance
According to the American Heart Association, Kawasaki disease is one of the leading causes of acquired heart disease in children in the United States. Most cases of Kawasaki occur in children younger than five years of age. Boys and children of Asian heritage are more commonly affected. More than 4,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Features
The diagnosis of Kawasaki is made based on the classic symptoms of the disease. To be diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, children must have four to five days of fever and four of the following five symptoms: rash; swelling of the hands or feet; swelling of the lips or inflammation inside the mouth, tongue or throat; inflammation of a single lymph node on one side of the neck and inflammation of the conjunctiva, the white part of the eyes, without any discharge.
Causes
The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown. It does not seem to be hereditary, and siblings of children affected do not seem to get it. Scientists who study the disease think that Kawasaki disease may be triggered by an infectious organism, like a virus. Other theories involve the body's interaction with environmental pollutants as possible causes of the disease.
Complications
The main complication of Kawasaki disease is the possibility of coronary aneurysms. An aneurysm is an out pouching of a blood vessel, which can weaken it and increase the chances of clots. In children with Kawasaki, the coronary arteries are most commonly affected, raising the possibility of blockage of one of the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack. According to the Mayo Clinic, other heart related complications of Kawasaki disease include heart valve problems, inflammation of the heart muscle and abnormal rhythms, or arrhythmia. Treatment of Kawasaki disease is aimed at decreasing the likelihood of these complications.
Tests
Although the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease is based on the symptoms, tests are important to rule out other conditions which can have similar symptoms and to detect any complications. Children with Kawasaki disease undergo an echo-cardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart, to detect the presence of coronary aneurysms at the time of diagnosis.
Treatment
The treatment of Kawasaki disease is with gamma globulin, an intravenous immune system booster. It is effective in decreasing the chance of coronary aneurysm formation, but must be given early on in the disease. Children with Kawasaki also take aspirin, to prevent the formation of clots, for several weeks.
