Clinical, Laboratory, and Demographic Profile of Children with Kawasaki Disease Admitted to a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Iran

One of the leading causes of acquired heart disease in the world today is Kawasaki disease [KD], an acute systemic vasculitis in children. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical and laboratory manifestations of children with KD admitted to the 17th Shahrivar Educational Hospital in Rasht, Iran.

We retrospectively studied the cases of 75 children with KD who were admitted to the 17th Shahrivar Educational Hospital in Rasht between 2011 and 2018. The frequency distribution of age, sex, seasonal prevalence, clinical manifestations including fever, skin rash, changes in the lips and oral cavity, conjunctivitis, changes in the extremities, and cervical lymphadenopathy; laboratory findings including platelets and leukocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], and C-reactive protein [CRP]; and response to treatment were studied. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods.

Out of 75 patients, the most common clinical manifestations were fever [100%], skin rash [78.67%], alterations to the lips and mouth [74.67%], bilateral non-purulent conjunctivitis [64%], changes in the extremities [46.67%], and cervical lymphadenopathy [38.67%], respectively. Among 75 patients, 70 [93.33%] had ESR above 40 mm/h, and 63 patients [84%] had high C-reactive protein [CRP]. Sixty percent of children had incomplete Kawasaki disease. Eight of our patients [10.6%] developed coronary heart disease.

In this study, the most frequent principal clinical manifestations were fever, skin rash, and alterations in the oral cavity and lips. Cervical lymphadenopathy had the lowest prevalence. Increased ESR and CRP were also the most common laboratory findings.