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.
Department of Pediatrics, Inje University, Korea.
Yong Won
YW
Park
Ji Whan
JW
Han
Young Mi
YM
Hong
Jae Sook
JS
Ma
Sung Ho
SH
Cha
Tae Chan
TC
Kwon
Sang Bum
SB
Lee
Chul Ho
CH
Kim
Joon Sung
JS
Lee
Chang Hwi
CH
Kim
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