Kawasaki disease, also known as Kawasaki syndrome, is a febrile illness of acute onset. Kawasaki syndrome was first described by Tomisaku Kawasaki, who gave its name to the disease, in Japan in 1967.
What is Kawasaki Disease?
Kawasaki disease is caused by inflammation (inflammation) in the medium-sized artery walls in the body. It is a disease characterized by swelling. This disease also often affects the coronary arteries that feed the heart and can cause heart disease. Kawasaki disease is also referred to as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome in some sources. This is because the disease also affects the lymph nodes, skin, and mucous parts of organs such as the mouth, nose, and throat. The disease often affects children. However, it is a largely treatable condition. Although it is rare, it can cause serious problems in some children. Common symptoms at this stage:
- Fever of 39℃ and above for more than three days
- Extreme red eye with intense discharge
- Rash, itching in the main body and genital area
- Red, dry, chapped lips
- Extremely red and swollen tongue, bright red and white dots on the tongue (strawberry tongue)
- Swelling on the palms and soles of the feet , flushing
- Swelling of lymph nodes in the neck or elsewhere
- Unrest,
- Peeling, especially at the tips of the fingers and toes
- Joint pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- It is abdominal pain.
Children with Kawasaki disease develop heart disease at a rate of 25%. Left untreated increases the risk of heart disease. Kawasaki syndrome is the most common cause of acquired heart diseases in children. Heart problems caused by Kawasaki disease:
- Inflammation (inflammation) of blood vessels, especially the coronary arteries
- Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
- Heart valve problems.
What Causes Kawasaki Disease?
The causes of Kawasaki disease have not been clarified yet. Scientists think that genetic and environmental factors may play a role in the formation of this disease. A person with Kawasaki disease in a sibling is 10 times more likely than normal to have this disease. This suggests that the disease may have a genetic component. There is no data showing that the disease is contagious.
- Kawasaki syndrome is more common in children younger than 5 years of age
- Boys compared to girls
- Children of Far East Asian ethnicity. .
How is Kawasaki Disease Diagnosis and Treatment?
There is no specific diagnostic test for Kawasaki disease. The diagnosis of the disease is made by excluding other diseases that may cause the symptoms seen in the patient. Diseases that may cause symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease:
- Red with fever, rash and sore throat
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
- Steven-Johnson syndrome in which problems with mucous membranes occur
- Toxic shock syndrome
- Measles
- Can be counted as tick-borne, tick-borne diseases.
Echocardiogram is an imaging method that evaluates the functioning of the heart by using sound waves. Thanks to this method, information about the extent to which the heart can perform its functions and the extent of the problems in the coronary arteries can be obtained. Since it is known that Kawasaki disease can cause many different damage to the heart, echocardiogram plays an important role in detecting these damages.
Kawasaki disease treatment gives much more successful results when it is preferably started when the child has a fever. For this reason, it is important to take the child with a high fever lasting for three days to a well-equipped health center and to diagnose the child's illness. The main goal of treatment is to prevent inflammation and related heart damage.
Gamma globulin can be used in treatment. Gamma globulin is a protein produced by immune system elements in the body. Administration of this protein to Kawasaki patients by the IV (intravenous, intravenous) route; reduces the risk of coronary artery disease. Aspirin is another drug used in treatment. It reduces inflammation. In this way, it also helps to reduce joint pain and fever. Aspirin use can cause a rare but potentially life-threatening disease called Reye's syndrome in children. Therefore, in children The use of spirin must be under the supervision of a doctor. For all these reasons, the initial treatment of Kawasaki disease is usually done in the hospital. After the fever subsides, aspirin use is continued if a coronary artery aneurysm has developed. Aspirin prevents blood clotting due to aneurysm and prevents the clot from traveling to different organs of the body and causing problems. Children who have chickenpox or the flu during treatment may need to stop using aspirin. Because the use of aspirin during these viral infections causes Reye's syndrome.
The symptoms of Kawasaki disease improve with the administration of the first gamma globulin therapy. Kawasaki disease lasts for about 12 days when left untreated. However, complications caused by the disease may continue for a longer period of time. Further examination and treatment may be required in cases such as the continuation of heart disease in the child after treatment, and permanent damage to the heart and vessels. The patient is referred to a pediatric cardiologist and the patient's heart conditions are examined in detail. The most appropriate treatment method for the child is determined and applied by the pediatric cardiologist related to heart disease. It is recommended that children with Kawasaki have regular heart checks at intervals determined by the doctor. Thus, if a problem in the heart is detected early, it can be treated. For this reason, it will be beneficial to take children with symptoms that may be related to the disease to the nearest health center. You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.
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