J Korean Pediatr Cardiol Soc.
2006 Dec;10(4):385-390.
Update on Kawasaki Disease (Clinical)
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea. kilhong@cnu.ac.kr
Abstract
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Disparate results for human coronavirus as causative agent likely correspond to the concept that the inflammations associated with Kawasaki disease does not result from a single infectious trigger but rather a final common inflammatory pathway, in susceptible individuals, following a variety of infectious or environmental triggers. It is hoped that there will be a change in the current diagnostic criteria, which do not apply in cases of incomplete disease. So detailed algorithm and new diagnostic criteria may be needed. In patients whose Kawasaki disease is resistant or refractory to IVIG, treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) blockade and steroids seems to be safe and promising deserving of future study. Echocardiography is important in confirming the diagnosis and should be performed in all suspected cases. New non-invasive tools including MRA and MSCT are of great value for the follow-up of aneurysm progress and outcome.