What is Kawasaki Disease?
Kawasaki disease was first reported in 1967 by Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan and is also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome. Approximately 15% to 20% of cases experience coronary artery damage after effective treatment. Since 1970, cases have been reported worldwide, with a higher incidence among Asians. As diagnostic capabilities improve globally, the incidence of this disease is decreasing. This disease occurs sporadically or in small epidemics and can occur in any season, most commonly affecting infants and young children, with 80% of cases occurring in children under five years of age. The cause of the disease is unclear, and the mechanism of onset is also not well understood, with the primary pathological change being systemic vasculitis. The main clinical symptoms are high fever between 39 to 40 degrees Celsius, followed by ineffectiveness of antibiotic treatment, and conjunctival congestion. Other symptoms include congested, cracked lips, diffuse congestion of the oral mucosa, indurative edema of hands and feet with emerging erythema, polymorphous skin eruptions and scarlet fever-like rash, and enlarged cervical lymph nodes, which can be unilateral or bilateral, hard and tender, but not red on the surface. There may be complications involving coronary artery damage, and potential complications such as myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis, and arrhythmias. Additionally, there may be other associated symptoms such as interstitial pneumonia, digestive system symptoms, joint pain, and arthritis.