Kawasaki disease in central area of Northeast Thailand.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a leading cause of acquired heart disease of childhood. The authors retrospectively reviewed cases of KD in major referral centers of central Northeast Thailand from July 1991 to June 2003. Seventy-three episodes occurring in 72 patients were diagnosed with KD by the American Heart Association criteria with a mean age of presentation of 27 +/- 19 months. The annual incidence was 2.2 per 100,000 children < 5 years of age. Coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) were found in 15 (20.5%) children. Nine patients (18%) who were diagnosed before 10 days were not treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Two (13%) of the 15 patients still had coronary lesions at the end of the follow-up period of 35.5 +/- 13.4 months. Index of suspicious should be maintained in children who had clinical signs of KD for early diagnosis and prompt treatment with IVIG.