Sudden death in kawasaki disease, a case report

Abstract Kawasaki disease is an acute febrile vasculitis of childhood in which the coronary artery aneurysm is considered as a common complication. Proper treatment of kawasaki patients plays an essential role in prophylaxis against dangerous complications. The case was a boy of three and half years old with high fever, anorexia, sore throat, bilateral bulbar conjunctival injection, palpitation, unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy, strawberry tongue, cracked lips, erythema, swelling and peeling of hands and feet, abdominal pain, and dysuria treated with penicillin 6.3.3, cefixime and serum infusion. The patient, visited by different doctors, was finally hospitalized and diagnosed as having kawasaki disease. He was treated with adequte doses of IVIG and aspirin based on recommended therapy protocol. At the beginning of treatment and also 2 months after the treatment, the patient was referred to a cardiologist and found to have normal EKG, C. Xray and echo cardiography. Approximately 7 months later, the patient was re-hospitalised with cordiopulmonary arrest and died afterwards. At autopsy, giant aneurysm in LAD artery as the result of Kawasaki disease was observed. Having described the complications above, scrupulous attention in diagnosing Kawasaki disease and immediate referral of the patient to pediatric cardiologist is of prime importance.