Kawasaki disease in Korea, 2003-2005.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence rate and epidemiologic patterns of Kawasaki disease in Korea for the 3-year-period, 2003-2005.


METHODS
The questionnaire for an epidemiologic survey on Kawasaki disease was distributed to all 102 Korean hospitals that conduct pediatric residency programs, and obtained data were analyzed upon receipt.


RESULTS
The 9662 patients of Kawasaki disease from 85 hospitals that responded (response rate, 83.3%) consisted of 5877 males and 3785 females (male:female ratio, 1.55:1). The incidence rate per 100,000 children <5-year-old was 104.2 in 2003, 106.4 in 2004, and 104.6 in 2005 (average rate, 105.0). Their mean age of onset was 33.3 months, and the proportions of sibling cases and recurrent cases were 0.29% and 2.0%, respectively. Coronary arterial abnormalities were detected at follow-up by echocardiogram in 18.8% of all such cases including dilatations of 18.0% and aneurysms of 2.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
The average annual rate of incidence, 105.0/100,000 in children <5-year-old is the second highest reported rate in the world.
Park
Yong-Won
YW
Department of Pediatrics, Inje University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. yongpw@hanmail.net
Han
Ji-Whan
JW
Park
In-Sook
IS
Kim
Chang-Hwi
CH
Cha
Sung-Ho
SH
Ma
Jae-Sook
JS
Lee
Joon-Sung
JS
Kwon
Tae-Chan
TC
Lee
Sang-Bum
SB
Kim
Chul-Ho
CH
Lee
Heung-Jae
HJ
Yun
Yong-Soo
YS
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires