[Kawasaki disease: clinical behaviour and cardiovascular complications in children in a tertiary-care level hospital].

OBJECTIVES

To describe the clinical characteristics, outcome, and treatment response in a series of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD).

METHODS

Case-series, review of clinical records of children with KD diagnosis cared for from november 1999 to september 2006.

RESULTS

22 patients were included, male:female ratio, 1.4:1, 82% younger than 5 years, 14% with atypical presentation. Of the 22 patients, 10 (45%) received intravenous gammaglobulin (IVGG) in the first 10 days of symptoms onset at the recommended dose; four of them had coronary artery damage but none developed residual aneurysmatic lesions. Eight received IVGG in a different dose or after 10 days, six of them had coronary lesions and in two the damage was permanent. Four patients did not receive IVGG, and two had residual aneurysmatic lesions. None of those who received adequate treatment developed coronary residual damage, in comparison with 33% who received inadequate or no treatment, but difference was not statistically significant (P =.06).

CONCLUSIONS

KD is a rare clinical entity in our country; even though most of the cases occurred with classic clinical criteria, late referral and delay of treatment worsen the prognosis.