Epidemiological Features and Clinical Study of Kawasaki Disease in Iran

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology and the major cause of pediatric acquired cardiac disease worldwide, particularly in developed countries. This study characterizes the epidemiologic and clinical features of KD in the Pediatric Rheumatology Department service in a general hospital. 120 patients with the diagnosis of KD between 1990 and 2009 were enrolled. We investigated the epidemiologic and clinical features of coronary artery involvement of the patients. Frequency of many parameters including age, sex, season, clinical and laboratory findings, response to treatment, and complications of the patients determined. During the 20-year study period, 120 patients <15 years of age were admitted for KD. Among them, 39.2% were at the extremes of the age spectrum, with 2.5% <6 months and 36.7% >5 years of age, male to female ratio of 1.3:1 and the classic KD to incomplete KD ratio of 3.1:1. KD recurred in 5% of all cases. It occurred most frequently in the winter and least frequently in the summer. The occurrence of coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) was 4.2%. Kawasaki disease should be considered in any pediatric patients with a prolonged refractory febrile illness in order to prevent CAA formation.