How to cite this article:
Krishnakumar P, Mathews L. Kawasaki disease is not rare in India. Indian J Pediatr 2006;73:544-545
How to cite this URL:
Krishnakumar P, Mathews L. Kawasaki disease is not rare in India. Indian J Pediatr [serial online] 2006 [cited 2006 Jul 14];73:544-545. Available from: http://www.ijppediatricsindia.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5456;year=2006;volume=73;issue=6;spage=544;epage=545;aulast=Krishnakumar
Sir,
We read with interest the article on Kawasaki disease in India.[1] As the authors rightly point out, Kawasaki disease is an important differential diagnosis for fever, rash and lymphadenopathy in children less than 5 years. All pediatricians, and physicians looking after children, need to be aware of this condition which is now being increasingly recognized in India.[2] However, there are some factual errors in their statement that they have reviewed all cases of Kawasaki disease reported from India during the last 25 years and only 34 cases were reported during this period. Narayanan SN et al in 1997 reported a series of 8 cases of Kawasaki disease from Kerala, South India which occurred during a period of 20 months.[3] Subsequently the same author from Thiruvananthapuram published a study on cardiovascular involvement in Kawasaki disease which included 72 cases of Kawasaki disease during a 7 year period.[4] Of the 72 patients, 68 children satisfied the full diagnostic criteria for Kawasaki disease and coronary artery disease was present in 18.5% of cases. Singh et al from Chandigar reported 69 cases of Kawasaki disease over a period of 10 years.[5] In our centre too, Kawasaki disease is not an uncommon diagnosis. We had 38 cases of Kawasaki disease during the last 2 years .Out of this 61 % had coronary artery involvement. At 1 year follow up, complete resolution occurred in 81% of children.
The number of cases of Kawasaki disease reported from India increased markedly in the last decade.[2],[4],[5] This increase is likely to be due to actual increase in the incidence of Kawasaki disease rather than due to increased awareness alone. The reasons for this need to be analyzed.
References
1. Sridhar MR, Goel H, Anirudh D, Lodha R, Kabra SK.Kawasaki Disease: Are we missing the diagnosis? Indian J Pediatr 2005; 72: 873-875.
2. Singh S, Kansra S. Kawasaki disease. Natl Med J India 2005; 18: 20-24.
3. Narayanan. SN, Krishnaveni, Sabarinathan K. Kawasaki Disease. Indian Pediatr 1997; 34: 139-143.
4. Narayanan SN, Ahamad. MZ, Safia. M. Cardiovascular involvement in Kawasaki disease. Indian Pediatr 2005; 42: 918-922.
5. Singh Surjit, Bansal Arun, Gupta Anju, Rohit Manoj Kumar and Mittal B.R. Kawasaki A Decade of Experience from North India Disease. Int Heart J 2005; 46: 679-689.
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