Recent Advances in Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease is an acute febrile disease inchildren formerly known as mucocutaneous lymphnode disease or infantilepolyarteritis nodosa. The disease, a systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology, in which the medium-sized blood vessels are affected, is frequently seen in children under five years of age. Organ systems, mainly the blood vessels, skin, mucous membranes, and lymph nodes are involved. The rarest but the most serious effect of the disease is on the heart, where it can cause fatal coronary artery aneurysms in untreated children. Therefore, early diagnosis, timely and appropriate treatment approach is very important. In this review, diagnosis, treatment processes and prognostic features of Kawasaki disease, also an important cause of morbidity in our country, were discussed.