title: Kawasaki disease: an epidemiological study in central Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis with an acute and self-limited course. The incidence of KD differs widely among ethnic groups and is higher in the Asian population. In Italy, no recent data are available. Our purpose is to define the epidemiology of Kawasaki disease in the years 2008-2013 in children aged < 14 years in the Italian regions of Tuscany and Emilia Romagna through administrative data.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the epidemiology of KD in the years 2008-2013 in children 0-14 years old resident in Tuscany and in Emilia Romagna regions using hospital ICD-9 discharge codes with a thorough data cleaning for duplicates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of the KD patients across ages was similar for the two regions with a peak in the second year of life. When considering data of the two regions together, the rate of incidence was 17.6 for 100,000 children under 5 years. For both Regions the incidence rose slightly during the study period and had a seasonal distribution, with higher incidence in spring and winter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first Italian study performed through the use of administrative data. Figures are in line but slightly higher than those published in other European countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Second University of Naples, via Luigi De Crecchio, 80138, Naples, Italy. angela.mauro84@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mauro
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, via Pietro Albertoni 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology, Regional Health Agency of Tuscany, Villa La Quiete alle Montalve, via Pietro Dazzi 1, 50141, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Da Frè
authors.affiliation: Agenzia Sanitaria e Sociale Regionale - Regione Emilia-Romagna, Area Governo Clinico, Viale A. Moro, 21-40127, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guastaroba
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ramazzini Hospital, Via Guido Molinari, 2, 41012, Carpi, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corinaldesi
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Anna Meyer Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Calabri
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Anna Meyer Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giani
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Anna Meyer Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simonini
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rusconi
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Anna Meyer Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cimaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Caucasians; Epidemiology; ICD codes; Incidence; Kawasaki disease