Multicenter Retrospective Study of the Clinical Course of Kawasaki Disease in Latin American Children

Background: Little is known about the burden of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Latin America (LA). The LA KD network (REKAMLATINA) was established in 2013 and has 120 physicians in over 85 hospitals in 20 countries. It’s goal is to characterize the epidemiology of KD in LA children, to understand the disease impact, and plan for studies that address the specific needs of LA children with KD. Methods: Retrospective review of 437 children 1 echo, worst CA status was evaluated for either the RCA or LAD. IVIG therapy response was classified as resistant (fever ≥38C more than 36 hrs after completion of IVIG), responsive or unknown. Conclusions: This is the first multicenter report describing the clinical course and treatment of KD in LA. Differences in the care of KD patients were observed among participating countries, specially regarding obtaining echos at baseline and follow up. Also, KD could be an important cause of antibiotic misuse in LA. More research is needed to describe how KD care in LA is influenced by local and economical factors, the available resources, and to standardize treatment in resource- limited settings.