Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease is a syndrome of unknown cause that results in a fever and mainly affects children under 5 years of age.^[1] It is a form of vasculitis, where blood vessels become inflamed throughout the body.

The fever typically lasts for more than five days. While the cause is unknown, it may be due to an infection triggering an autoimmune response.

Boys are more commonly affected than girls.^[2] The disorder was first described in 1967 by Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan.^[3]

1. ↑ McCrindle BW, Rowley AH, Newburger JW, Burns JC, Bolger AF, Gewitz M, Baker AL, Jackson MA, Takahashi M, Shah PB, Kobayashi T, Wu MH, Saji TT, Pahl E (2017). "Diagnosis, Treatment, and Long-Term Management of Kawasaki Disease: A Scientific Statement for Health Professionals From the American Heart Association". Circulation. 135 (17): e927–e999. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000484. PMID 28356445."Correction". Circulation. 140 (5): e181–e184. 2019. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000703. PMID 31356128.
2. ↑ "Kawasaki Disease". PubMed Health. NHLBI Health Topics. 11 June 2014. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
3. ↑ Kawasaki T (March 1967). "[Acute febrile mucocutaneous syndrome with lymphoid involvement with specific desquamation of the fingers and toes in children]". Arerugi. 16 (3): 178–222. PMID 6062087.