Kawasaki disease: interdisciplinary and intersocieties consensus (clinical guidelines). Brief version

Kawasaki disease is an acute self-limiting systemic vasculitis. It is the most common cause of acquired heart disease, with the risk of developing coronary artery aneurysms, myocardial infarction and sudden death. Diagnosis is based on the presence of fever in addition to other clinical criteria. The quarter of the Kawasaki disease patients have "incomplete" presentation. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin within ten days of fever onset improves clinical outcomes and reduces the incidence of coronary artery dilation to less than 5%. Non-responders to standard therapy have shown a successful response with the use of corticosteroids and/or biological agents. The long-term management must be delineated according to the degree of coronary involvement in a multidisciplinary manner. To facilitate the pediatrician's diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of Kawasaki disease, a group of experts from the Argentine Society of Pediatrics and the Argentine Society of Cardiology carried out a consensus to develop practical clinical guidelines.