To the Editor: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis of unknown aetiology occurring mostly in infants and young children. KD is characterised by fever of more than 4 days’ duration; conjunctivitis; rash; cervical lymphadenopathy; erythema of the lips, oral mucosa, palms and soles; and oedema of the hands and feet.1
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- Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Correspondence: benfri@diseg.unipa.it
- 1. Kawasaki T. [Acute febrile mucocutaneous syndrome with lymphoid involvement with specific desquamation of the fingers and toes in children: clinical observation of 50 cases] [in Japanese]. Arerugi 1967; 16: 178-222.
- 2. Kato H, Sugimura T, Akagi T, et al. Long-term consequences of Kawasaki disease. A 10- to 21-year follow-up study of 594 patients. Circulation 1996; 94: 1379-1385.
- 3. Cimaz R, Falcini F. An update on Kawasaki disease. Autoimmun Rev 2003; 2: 258-263.
- 4. Newburger JW, Takahashi M, Gerber MA, et al. Diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management in Kawasaki disease: a statement for health professionals from the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Pediatrics 2004; 114: 1708-1733.
- 5. Zulian F, Falcini F, Zancan L, et al. Acute surgical abdomen as presenting manifestation of Kawasaki disease. J Pediatr 2003; 142: 731-735.
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