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Encyclopedia > Kawasaki's disease

Kawasaki disease, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, mucocutaneous lymph node disease, infantile polyarteritis and Kawasaki syndrome, is a poorly-understood illness that affects the mucous membranes, lymph nodes, blood vessel walls, and the heart. It was first described in 1967 by Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki. Illness can be a synonym for disease or it can be a persons perception of having poor health. ... The mucous membranes (or mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, that line various body cavities and internal organs. ... Lymph nodes are components of the lymphatic system. ... The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ... The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The heart (Latin cor) is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

Contents

Incidence, causes, and risk factors

Kawasaki disease occurs mainly in Japan, though its incidence in the United States is increasing. Kawasaki disease is predominantly a disease of young children, with 80% of patients younger than 5 years of age, but no other contributing factors are known.


The causative agent of Kawasaki disease is still unknown. But current etiological theories center on immunological causes for the disease. Much research is being performed to discover a definitive toxin or antigenic substance, possibly a superantigen, that is the specific cause of the disease. Etiology (alternately aetiology, aitiology) is the study of causation. ... The word theory has a number distinct meanings depending on the context. ... The immune system is the collection of organs and tissues involved in the adaptive defense of a body against foreign biological material. ... For a list of biologically injurious substances, including toxins and other materials, as well as their effects, see poison. ... An antigen is any molecule that is recognized by antibodies. ... Superantigens (SAgs) are a group of virulent toxins that indiscriminately activate T-cells of the immune system causing system-wide inflammation and other serious, potentially fatal symptoms. ...


The cardiac involvement and complications are, by far, the most important aspect of the disease. Kawasaki disease can cause vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) in the coronary arteries and subsequent coronary artery aneurysms. These aneurysms can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack) even in young children (rarely). About 20–40% of children with Kawasaki disease will have evidence of vasculitis with cardiac involvement. In medicine, vasculitis (plural: vasculitides) is a group of diseases featuring inflammation of the wall of blood vessels. ... The coronary circulation consists of the blood vessels that supply blood to, and remove blood from, the heart. ... An aneurysm (or aneurism) (from Greek ανευρυσμα, a dilatation) is a localized dilation or ballooning of a blood vessel. ... A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of a coronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream. ... A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of a coronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream. ... In medicine, vasculitis (plural: vasculitides) is a group of diseases featuring inflammation of the wall of blood vessels. ...


Kawasaki disease often begins with a high and persistent fever that is not very responsive to normal doses of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The fever may persist steadily for up to two weeks. The children develop red eyes, red mucous membranes in the mouth, red cracked lips, a "strawberry tongue" and swollen lymph nodes. Skin rashes may occur early in the disease and peeling of the skin in the genital area, hands, and feet (especially around the nails and on the palms and soles) may occur. Fever is also the name of an album by Kylie Minogue. ... Acetaminophen (USAN) or paracetamol (INN), is a popular analgesic and antipyretic drug that is used for the relief of fever, headaches, and other minor aches and pains. ... Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve the symptoms of arthritis, primary dysmenorrhoea, fever; and as an analgesic, especially where there is an inflammatory component. ... The mucous membranes (or mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, that line various body cavities and internal organs. ... Lymph nodes are components of the lymphatic system. ... For the manga by Tsukasa Hôjô, see Rash. ... A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in an complex organism; namely: Male: penis (notably the glans penis...


Symptoms

  • High-grade fever (greater than 39 °C or 102 °F; often as high as 40 °C or 104 °F) that is unresponsive to medication and lasts more than three days (persistent fever lasting at least five days is considered a hallmark sign)
  • Extremely bloodshot or red eyes (conjunctivitis without pus or drainage)
  • Bright red, chapped, or cracked lips
  • Red mucous membranes in the mouth
  • Strawberry tongue, white coating on the tongue or prominent red bumps (papillae) on the back of the tongue
  • Red palms of the hands and the soles of the feet
  • Swollen hands and feet
  • Peeling palms and soles (later in the illness); peeling may begin around the nails
  • Rashes similar to erythema multiforme (rash, NOT blister-like, on the trunk)
  • Swollen lymph nodes (frequently only one lymph node is swollen), particularly in the neck area
  • Joint pain (arthralgia) and swelling, frequently symmetrical

Bloodshot can refer to: Red eyes (see conjunctivitis) Bloodshot, an album by the J. Geils Band Bloodshot, a comic book by Valiant Comics This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The mucous membranes (or mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, that line various body cavities and internal organs. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a severe and potentially life-threatening (15% of cases) disease, it is a hypersensitivity complex affecting the skin and the mucous membranes, a severe expression of erythema multiforme (EM) (and so SJS is also called erythema multiforme major). ... Lymph nodes are components of the lymphatic system. ... Arthralgia is a term used to describe pain in the joints. ...

Signs and tests

A physical examination will demonstrate many of the symptoms listed above. Procedures such as ECG and echocardiography may reveal signs of myocarditis, pericarditis, arthritis, aseptic meningitis, and coronary vasculitis. ECG may also refer to the East Coast Greenway Lead II An Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG, abbreviated from the German Elektrokardiogramm) is a graphic produced by an electrocardiograph, which records the electrical voltage in the heart in the form of a continuous strip graph. ... The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. ... In medicine (cardiology), myocarditis is inflammation of the myocardium, the muscular part of the heart. ... Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. ... Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation) is a group of conditions that affect the health of the bone joints in the body. ...


Tests include:

Angiography or arteriography is a medical imaging technique in which an X-ray picture is taken to visualize the inner opening of blood filled structures, including arteries, veins and the heart chambers. ... CBC redirects here, as this is the most common use of the abbreviation. ... ESR can stand for many things, including: electron spin resonance The initials of open source software advocate Eric S. Raymond erythrocyte sedimentation rate Earlham School of Religion at Earlham College in Indiana, United States Electo Slag Remelting This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Lead II An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG, abbreviated from the German Elektrokardiogramm) is a graphic produced by an electrocardiograph, which records the electrical voltage in the heart in the form of a continuous strip graph. ... The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. ... A chest X-ray is a radiological film obtained by X-ray taken of the thorax which is used to diagnose problems with that area. ... A urinalysis (or UA) is an array of tests performed on urine, usually used in medical diagnosis. ... Proteinuria (from protein and urine) means the presence of an excess of serum proteins in the urine. ...

Treatment

Children with Kawasaki disease are hospitalized and care is normally shared between pediatric cardiology and infectious disease specialists, although no infectious agent has been demonstrated. It is imperative that treatment be started as soon as the diagnosis is made to prevent damage to the coronary arteries and heart. In medicine, infectious disease or communicable disease is disease caused by a biological agent (e. ... The coronary circulation consists of the blood vessels that supply blood to, and remove blood from, the heart. ... The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The heart (Latin cor) is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. ...


Intravenous gamma globulin is the standard treatment for Kawasaki disease and is administered in high doses. Marked improvement is usually noted within 24 hours of treatment with IV gamma globulin. An intravenous drip in a hospital Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the administration of liquid substances directly into a vein. ... Gamma globulins are a class of proteins in the blood, identified by their position after serum protein electrophoresis. ... IV may refer to: In medicine, an acronym for intravenous, as in IV drip (or simply IV) for intravenous drip, or IV drug use for intravenous drug use; see also intravenous therapy In cryptography, an acronym for initialization vector InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a Christian ministry for college students the Roman... Gamma globulins are a class of proteins in the blood, identified by their position after serum protein electrophoresis. ...


Salicylate therapy, particularly aspirin, remains an important part of the treatment but salicylates alone are not as effective as IV gamma globulin. A very old bottle of Aspirin Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid is a drug in the family of salicylates, often used as an analgesic (against minor pains and aches), antipyretic (against fever), and anti- inflammatory. ... Salicylic acid is a colorless, crystalline organic carboxylic acid. ... IV may refer to: In medicine, an acronym for intravenous, as in IV drip (or simply IV) for intravenous drip, or IV drug use for intravenous drug use; see also intravenous therapy In cryptography, an acronym for initialization vector InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a Christian ministry for college students the Roman... Gamma globulins are a class of proteins in the blood, identified by their position after serum protein electrophoresis. ...


Expectations (prognosis)

With early recognition and treatment, full recovery can be expected. However, about 2% of patients die from complications of coronary vasculitis. Patients who have had Kawasaki disease should have an echocardiogram every 1–2 years to screen for progression of cardiac involvement. As Thought Process During the process of thinking, recognition occurs when some event, process, pattern, or object recurs. ... The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. ...


Complications

Complications involving the heart, including coronary vasculitis and coronary aneurysm, can cause acute myocardial infarction later in life or at a young age. Acute may refer to: An acute accent is a diacritic character. ... A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of a coronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream. ...


If you show symptoms

Call your health care provider if symptoms of Kawasaki disease develop. A persistent high grade fever that is unresponsive to acetaminophen or ibuprofen and lasts more than 24 hours should be evaluated by a physician. Acetaminophen (USAN) or paracetamol (INN), is a popular analgesic and antipyretic drug that is used for the relief of fever, headaches, and other minor aches and pains. ... Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve the symptoms of arthritis, primary dysmenorrhoea, fever; and as an analgesic, especially where there is an inflammatory component. ...


External Links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Kawasaki disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (664 words)
Kawasaki disease, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, mucocutaneous lymph node disease, infantile polyarteritis and Kawasaki syndrome, is a poorly-understood non-contagious illness that affects the mucous membranes, lymph nodes, blood vessel walls, and the heart.
Kawasaki disease occurs mainly in Japan, though its incidence in the United States is increasing.
Kawasaki disease often begins with a high and persistent fever that is not very responsive to normal doses of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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