Epidemiological features of Kawasaki disease in Korea, 2006-2008.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and describe the epidemiological characteristics of Kawasaki disease among children in Korea.


METHODS
Questionnaires for surveying the epidemiology of Kawasaki disease were distributed to a total of 101 hospitals that conduct pediatric residency programs. Then, we retrospectively obtained the data, which covered a three-year period (2006-2008) and analyzed them.


RESULTS
During the three-year study period, a total of 9039 cases of Kawasaki disease were reported from 84 hospitals (response rate, 83.2%), comprising 5375 boys and 3664 girls (male:female ratio, 1.47:1). The outbreak rate per 100,000 children <5 years old was 108.7 in 2006, 118.3 in 2007 and 112.5 in 2008 (average rate, 113.1). The seasonal distribution showed a slightly higher incidence rate in winter and summer. The patients' mean age of onset was 32.6 months, while the proportions of sibling cases and recurrent cases were 0.17% and 2.2%, respectively. Coronary arterial abnormalities were detected during follow up by echocardiogram in 17.5% of all cases including dilatations (16.4%) and aneurysms (2.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
The average annual incidence rate of Kawasaki disease in Korea has been continuously increasing, and reached 113.1/100,000 children <5 years old, which is the second highest rate in the world.
Park
Yong Won
YW
Department of Pediatrics, Inje University, Korea.
Han
Ji Whan
JW
Hong
Young Mi
YM
Ma
Jae Sook
JS
Cha
Sung Ho
SH
Kwon
Tae Chan
TC
Lee
Sang Bum
SB
Kim
Chul Ho
CH
Lee
Joon Sung
JS
Kim
Chang Hwi
CH
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires