A Case of Sudden Infant Death Due to Incomplete Kawasaki Disease.
Although Kawasaki disease (KD) is a self-limiting disease, it may cause sudden cardiac death. Diagnosis of KD is principally based on clinical signs; however, some infant cases do not meet the criteria. Such cases are identified as incomplete KD. The sudden death risk in incomplete KD cases is similar to conventional KD. In our 5-month-old case, he had been admitted to a hospital for a fever and suppuration at the site of Bacille de Calmette et Guerin (BCG) vaccination. However, after discharge from the hospital, his C-reactive protein (CRP) levels declined, he got indisposed and died suddenly. A medico-legal autopsy revealed myocarditis, coronaritis, platelet-aggregated emboli in coronary arteries, and myocardial degeneration, suggesting that the fatal myocardial infarction was due to thrombus emboli in the coronary arteries. Forensic pathologists therefore should pay attention to the cardiac pathology originated from incomplete KD as a potential cause in cases of sudden infant death.
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Daisuke
D
Yajima
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Keiko
K
Shimizu
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.|Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Kumiko
K
Oka
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Masaru
M
Asari
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Chikatoshi
C
Maseda
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Katsuhiro
K
Okuda
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Shiono
Department of Legal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Seiji
S
Ohtani
Department of Pathology, Asahikawa Medical University, 2-1-1-1 Midorigaoka-Higashi, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan.
Katsuhiro
K
Ogawa
D001344:Autopsy; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D013398:Sudden Infant Death
forensic pathology; forensic science; incomplete Kawasaki disease; myocardial infarction; myocarditis; sudden infant death; thrombosis