title: Epidemiologic study of Kawasaki disease in Korea, 1997-1999: comparison with previous studies during 1991-1996.
abstract: We performed a retrospective epidemiologic survey on Kawasaki disease (KD) from 1997 to 1999 in Korea. We sent a questionnaire to 111 training hospitals, and summarized the data from 50 hospitals that responded. Data from a total of 3,862 cases were collected, which showed no difference in annual incidence and a seasonal predilection for summer. The male-to-female ratio was 1.51:1, and the mean age was 29.7 months. The prevalence of sibling cases was 0.26%, and the rate of recurrent cases was 2.3%. The proportion of patients with KD among total hospitalized pediatric patients was 1.19% in average, showing a significant difference according to the regions. Coronary arterial (CA) abnormalities were detected by echocardiography in 19.8% of cases (737/3,723) including dilatations in 601 cases (16.1%) and aneurysms in 191 cases (5.1%). Data from total 8,251 cases in the 1990s including the cases in the present study, in Korea showed a mean age of patients 28.9 months, male-to-female ratio 1.6:1, seasonal predilection for summer, prevalence of sibling cases 0.24%, rate of recurrent cases 2.3%, incidence of CA abnormalities 21.0%, and incidence of CA aneurysms 5.2%, with statistically significant decreasing trends in the male-to-female ratio and the rate of CA abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Inje University School of Medicine, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea. yongpw@hanmail.net
authors.forename: Yong-Won
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: In-Sook
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chang-Hwi
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Sang-Bum
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chul-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Heung-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tockgo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires