<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Kawasaki disease is a rare condition that involves inflammation of the blood vessels. It occurs&nbsp;in children.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Causes</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Kawasaki disease occurs most often in Japan, where&nbsp;it was first discovered. The disease occurs more often in boys than in girls. Most of the children who develop this condition are younger than age 5.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Kawasaki disease is not well understood and the cause is yet unknown. It may be an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000816.htm">autoimmune disorder</a>. The problem affects the mucus membranes, lymph nodes, walls of the blood vessels, and the heart.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Symptoms</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Kawasaki disease often begins with a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003090.htm">fever</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;102 &deg;F or higher that does not go away. The fever is often as high as 104 &deg;F. A fever lasting at least 5 days is a common sign of the disorder. The fever may last for up to 2 weeks. The fever often does not come down with normal doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Other symptoms often include:</span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Very bloodshot or red eyes (without pus or drainage)</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Bright red, chapped, or cracked lips</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Red mucous membranes in the mouth</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Strawberry tongue, white coating on the tongue, or&nbsp;visible red bumps on the back of the tongue</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Red palms of the hands and the soles of the feet</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Swollen hands and feet</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Skin rashes on the middle of the body, NOT blister-like</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Peeling skin in the genital area, hands, and feet (mostly around the nails, palms, and soles)</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Swollen lymph nodes in the neck&nbsp;(often only one lymph node is swollen)</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Joint pain and swelling,&nbsp;often on both sides of the body</span></span></p>
	</li>
</ul>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Additional symptoms may include:</span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Irritability</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Cough and runny nose</span></span></p>
	</li>
</ul>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Exams and Tests</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Tests alone cannot diagnose&nbsp;Kawasaki disease. Most of the time, the doctor will diagnose the disease when the patient has most of the common symptoms.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In some cases, a child may have a fever that lasts more than 5 days, but not all the common symptoms of the disease. These children may be diagnosed with atypical Kawasaki disease.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">All children with fever lasting more than 5 days should be seen by a health care provider to be checked for&nbsp;Kawasaki disease. Children with the disease need early treatment for a good outcome.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The following tests may be done:</span></span></p>

<ul>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Chest x-ray</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Complete blood count</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">C-reactive protein&nbsp;(CRP)</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Echocardiogram</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Electrocardiogram</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">ESR</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Serum albumin</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Serum transaminase</span></span></p>
	</li>
	<li style="text-align: justify;">
	<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Urinalysis&nbsp;- may show pus in the urine or&nbsp;protein in the urine</span></span></p>
	</li>
</ul>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Tests&nbsp;such as ECG and echocardiography are done to look for signs&nbsp;of&nbsp;myocarditis,&nbsp;pericarditis,&nbsp;arthritis, aseptic meningitis, and inflammation of the coronary arteries.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Treatment</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Children with Kawasaki disease need hospital treatment. Treatment must be started right away&nbsp;to prevent damage to the coronary arteries and heart.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Intravenous gamma globulin is the standard treatment. It is given in high doses. The child&#39;s condition often gets much better within 24 hours of treatment with IV gamma globulin.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">High-dose aspirin is often given along with IV gamma globulin.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Even with standard treatment,&nbsp;up to 1 in 4 children may still develop problems in their coronary arteries. Some research suggests that adding steroids or TNF inhibitors such as Enbrel&nbsp;to the treatment routine may help. However, there still needs to be better tests to tell which children will benefit from added forms of treatment.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Outlook (Prognosis)</strong></span></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Most children can recover fully when the disease is caught and treated early. About 1 in 100 patients die from heart problems caused by the disease. People who have had Kawasaki disease should have an echocardiogram every 1 - 2 years to screen for heart problems.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Possible Complications</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Kawasaki disease can cause inflammation of blood vessels in the arteries, especially the coronary arteries. This can lead to aneurysm. Rarely, it can lead to a heart attack at a young age or later in life.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">When to Contact a Medical Professional</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Call your health care provider if symptoms of Kawasaki disease develop. An ongoing high fever that does not come down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen and lasts more than 24 hours should be checked by a health care provider.</span></span></p>

<h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: inherit;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Prevention</span></span></strong></h2>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There are no known ways to prevent this disorder.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Source:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000989.html">http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000989.html</a></span></span></p>
