Epidemiologic study of Kawasaki disease in 6 months old and younger infants

Abstract

Purpose : The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiologic status of Kawasaki disease (KD) in infants ≤6 months of age.\nMethods : For the epidemiologic study of KD in Korea, data from 2 2 ,6 7 4 KD patients were collected from 1 9 9 7 to 2 0 0 5 on a 3 -year basis by a retrospective survey. From this survey, data of 1 ,7 3 9 KD patients ≤6 months of age were analyzed and compared with those of KD patients > 6 months of age. Results : A total of 1 ,7 3 9 patients ≤6 months of age, including 1 ,0 8 8 males and 6 5 1 females, represented 7 .7% of total KD patients. These subjects included 2 2 patients aged < 1 month, 1 7 1 patients aged 1 -2 months, 3 0 4 patients aged 2 -3\nmonths, 4 0 7 patients aged 3 -4 months, 3 7 2 patients aged 4 -5 months, and 4 6 3 patients aged 5 -6 months. Their mean age of onset was 4 .3 months, and the male-to-female ratio was 1 .6 7 :1 . Incidences of coronary arterial (CA) abnormalities (2 1 .0% versus 1 8 .7 %) and CA aneurysms (4 .7 % versus 3 .1 %) detected by echocardiography showed differences between patients with KD younger and older than 6 months, respectively. Conclusion : Comparison of data from KD patients > 6 months old with data from 1 ,7 3 9 KD patients ≤6 months old showed significantly higher incidences of CA abnormalities and CA aneurysms in the younger patients.