PEDIATRICS
COMPLICATIONS
■ Aneurysms of coronary arteriesdevelop in 20% of patients who are
untreated. Patients at highest risk are male, <1 year old, and with the
greatest degree of inflammation.
■ Hydrops of gallbladder
■ Mortality <1% for children in the United States.
Rheumatic Fever
■ Mediated by the host immune response to a preceding group A strep infection
■ Affected patients are typically school age
■ Symptoms develop 2–3 weeks after a strep infection, with target organs
including heart, joints, CNS, and skin.
TABLE 5.8. Diagnostic Criteria for Kawasaki Syndrome
Fever =5 days, andfour out of five of the following criteria:
- Bilateral conjunctivitis
- Oropharyngeal changes (fissuring of lips, “strawberry tongue,” erythema of lips of pharynx)
- Changes to skin on hands/feet (erythema →desquamation)
- Rash on torso
- Cervical lymphadenopathy (at least one lymph node greater in size than 1.5 cm)
And no other diagnosis to explain symptoms.
TABLE 5.7. Phases of Kawasaki Syndrome
Acute Phase (1–2 wk)
■Fever
■Lymphadenopathy (usually anterior cervical)
■Conjunctivitis (bilateral, painless, without exudate)
■Oropharynx: Cracked lips, “strawberry tongue”(prominent papillae on tongue), pharyngeal
erythema
■Rash on perineum, often progressing to torso
■Erythema/edema of hands and feet
■Vasculitis may affect virtually any organ system: Pneumonitis, myocarditis, enteritis, meatitis,
hepatitis, uveitis.
Subacute Phase (2–4 wk)
■Thrombocytosis (platelets up to 500,000–1,000,000/mm^3 )
■Resolution of fever
■Desquamation of hands and feet
Convalescent Phase (>2 mo)
■Scarring and calcification of affected coronary arteries