title: Evaluation of clinical characteristics of Kawasaki syndrome and risk factors for coronary artery abnormalities among children in Denmark.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of Kawasaki syndrome patients in Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of hospitalization records for children <15 years of age with a Kawasaki syndrome discharge diagnosis identified through the Danish National Patient Registry during 1994 through June 2008 was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 284 cases <15 years of age were identified as Kawasaki syndrome (n = 279) and atypical Kawasaki syndrome (n = 5); 70.4% were <5 years of age and 64.4% were male. Most patients (91.5%; 258/282) were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and 74.6% of these patients (191/256) received intravenous immunoglobulin before the 10th day of illness. A total of 37 (13.3%) Kawasaki syndrome patients were diagnosed with coronary artery abnormalities. Not receiving intravenous immunoglobulin treatment before the 10th day of illness, young age and male sex were significantly associated with the development of coronary artery abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Denmark, more than one in 10 children with Kawasaki syndrome develop coronary artery abnormalities. Physicians should increase their index of suspicion for early diagnosis and treatment of Kawasaki syndrome among patients susceptible to increased risk of coronary artery abnormalities, particularly in infants who may have a more atypical presentation of the illness.
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. amygronholt@gmail.com
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.forename: Laura S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Callinan
authors.forename: Nandini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sreenivasan
authors.forename: Lawrence B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Schonberger
authors.forename: Thea K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Ermias D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Belay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
keywords: Children; Denmark; Kawasaki syndrome