The incidence of periungual desquamation and thrombocytosis in Kawasaki disease and the importance of systematic observation in the subacute phase.

Background: Periungual desquamation and thrombocytosis are characteristic of the subacute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD). However, accurate observations of periungual desquamation and thrombocytosis are lacking.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with acute-phase KD who received treatment at seven affiliated university hospitals in Korea between 2015 and 2017.

Newly Developed Sex-Specific Z Score Model for Coronary Artery Diameter in a Pediatric Population.

Background: This study aimed to generate a Z score calculation model for coronary artery diameter of normal children and adolescents to be adopted as the standard calculation method with consensus in clinical practice.

Methods: This study was a retrospective, multicenter study that collected data from multiple institutions across South Korea. Data were analyzed to determine the model that best fit the relationship between the diameter of coronary arteries and independent demographic parameters.

Changes in the Clinical Characteristics of Kawasaki Disease After Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Database Analysis.

Background: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on Kawasaki disease (KD) has not yet been established. We investigated changes in the observed number and severity of KD cases and accompanying coronary artery complications during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included patients aged < 18 years with acute-phase KD diagnosed between March 2018 and February 2021.

Epidemiology of Kawasaki Disease in South Korea: A Nationwide Survey 2015-2017.

Background: This study aimed to investigate recent epidemiologic features of Kawasaki disease (KD) in South Korea.

Methods: The ninth triennial nationwide questionnaire survey collected data on the demographic findings, symptoms and signs, treatment patterns and coronary artery complications of acute-phase KD occurred in 2015-2017 from 98 hospitals with pediatric residency programs and 108 community hospitals without residency programs.

Results: We received data from 93 of the 98 hospitals (response rate: 94.

A Presumed Etiology of Kawasaki Disease Based on Epidemiological Comparison With Infectious or Immune-Mediated Diseases.

Kawasaki disease (KD) may be associated with infection of unknown pathogen(s). For predicting of the etiology of KD, we evaluated epidemiological characteristics in KD, common infectious diseases and immune-mediated diseases in childhood. We respectively, reviewed the data of patients with KD, influenza, aseptic meningitis, exanthem subitum (ES), (MP) pneumonia, acute pyelonephritis (APN), Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN), and childhood asthma.

Immunogenicity and safety of a combined DTPa-IPV/Hib vaccine administered as a three-dose primary vaccination course in healthy Korean infants: phase III, randomized study.

We assessed the immunogenicity and safety of a three-dose primary vaccination schedule with the combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliovirus/Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (DTPa-IPV/Hib) in Korean infants. In this phase III open-label, multicenter study (NCT01309646), healthy infants aged 42-69 days (randomized 1:1) received three doses of either pentavalent DTPa-IPV/Hib (DTPa-IPV/Hib group) or DTPa-IPV and Hib vaccines administered separately (DTPa-IPV+Hib group) at 2, 4, 6 months of age. The primary objective was to demonstrate non-inferiority of DTPa-IPV/Hib compared to DTPa-IPV+Hib vaccines in terms of immune responses to all vaccine antigens, 1 month post-dose 3.

Clinical implications in laboratory parameter values in acute Kawasaki disease for early diagnosis and proper treatment.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyse laboratory values according to fever duration, and evaluate the relationship across these values during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD) to aid in the early diagnosis for early-presenting KD and incomplete KD patients.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data of patients with KD (n=615) were evaluated according to duration of fever at presentation, and were compared between patients with and without coronary artery lesions (CALs). For evaluation of the relationships across laboratory indices, patients with a fever duration of 5 days or 6 days were used (n=204).

Correlation between elevated platelet count and immunoglobulin levels in the early convalescent stage of Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) may be an acute systemic immune-mediated disease which occurs after infection of unknown KD pathogen(s). The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in platelet count and immunoglobulin (Ig) levels (IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE) during hospitalization.Forty-three patients with complete KD who received intravenous Ig at 2 g/kg were enrolled in South Korea.

Medium- or Higher-Dose Acetylsalicylic Acid for Acute Kawasaki Disease and Patient Outcomes.

Objective: To investigate the effect of medium- or higher-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for treating acute-phase Kawasaki disease to prevent coronary artery aneurysm (CAA).

Study Design: Among the children with acute Kawasaki disease investigated in the eighth nationwide survey in the Republic of Korea, 8456 children with adequate data were included in this study. The subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the use of medium- or higher-dose ASA (≥30 mg/kg/day), or-low dose ASA (3-5 mg/kg/day) during the acute febrile phase.

Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Kawasaki Disease in South Korea, 2012-2014.

Background: To reveal the recent epidemiologic features of Kawasaki disease (KD) in South Korea based on data from a nationwide survey.

Methods: We collected data between 2012 and 2014 regarding the incidence, symptoms and signs, treatment trends and coronary complications associated with acute KD by sending questionnaires to 97 hospitals with pediatric residency programs as well as 19 community hospitals without residency training.

Results: We received full and partial data from 97 and 13 hospitals, respectively (response rate: 94.

Prediction of nonresponsiveness to medium-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (1 g/kg) treatment: an effective and safe schedule of acute treatment for Kawasaki disease.

Purpose: Medium-dose (1 g/kg) intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is effective in the majority of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) but some patients who do not respond to medium-dose IVIG are at high risk for the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs). The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical predictors associated with unresponsiveness to medium-dose IVIG and the development of CALs.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 91 children with KD who were treated with medium-dose IVIG at our institution from January 2004 to December 2013.

Usefulness of anterior uveitis as an additional tool for diagnosing incomplete Kawasaki disease.

Purpose: There are no specific tests for diagnosing Kawasaki disease (KD). Additional diagnostic criteria are needed to prevent the delayed diagnosis of incomplete Kawasaki disease (IKD). This study compared the frequency of coronary artery lesions (CALs) in IKD patients with and without anterior uveitis (AU) and elucidated whether the finding of AU supported the diagnosis of IKD.

Normal left ventricular torsion mechanics in healthy children: age related changes of torsion parameters are closely related to changes in heart rate.

Background And Objectives: This study was aimed at assessing left ventricular torsion (LVtor) mechanics using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), establishing normal reference values of principal LVtor parameters, and analyzing the age-related changes in normal children.

Subjects And Methods: Eighty children (aged 3 months to 15 years) with normal cardiac function and rhythm were recruited. LVtor parameters including rotations, twist and untwist, torsion, and their rate indices were measured using STE.

Evaluation of the Temporal Association between Kawasaki Disease and Viral Infections in South Korea.

Background And Objectives: This study is aimed at elucidating potential temporal associations between the occurrence of Kawasaki disease (KD) and various viral infections.

Subjects And Methods: We obtained monthly patterns of KD from the seventh nationwide survey and viral detection data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2009 to 2011 and evaluated temporal correlations between them for each month. The respiratory viruses detected using a multiplex real-time-polymerase chain reaction kit were influenza virus (A/H1N1, A/H3N2, A/H5N1, and B), adenovirus, parainfluenza virus (type 1, 2, 3), respiratory syncytial virus (type A, B), human rhinovirus, human coronavirus (OC43/229E, NL63), human bocavirus, and enterovirus.

Baseline heart rate variability in children and adolescents with vasovagal syncope.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the autonomic imbalance in syncope by comparing the baseline heart rate variability (HRV) between healthy children and those with vasovagal syncope.

Methods: To characterize the autonomic profile in children experiencing vasovagal syncope, we evaluated the HRV of 23 patients aged 7-18 years and 20 healthy children. These children were divided into preadolescent (<12 years) and adolescent groups.

Changes in Kawasaki disease during 2 decades at a single institution in Daejeon, Korea.

Background: The goal of this study is to evaluate the changes in the epidemiologic and clinical features of Kawasaki disease (KD) in a period of 20 years.

Methods: We compared the epidemiologic features of 3 KD patient groups: those admitted from 1987 to 1990 (122 cases), from 1997 to 2000 (137 cases) and from 2007 to 2010 (102 cases). For clinical features, we reviewed the medical records of patients admitted from 1996 to 2000 (141 cases) and from 2006 to 2010 (121 cases).

Epidemiologic features of Kawasaki disease in South Korea: data from nationwide survey, 2009-2011.

Background: To assess the recent epidemiologic features of Kawasaki disease (KD) in South Korea from the nationwide survey conducted between 2009 and 2011.

Methods: We collected data regarding the incidence, symptoms, treatment and coronary complications associated with acute KD by sending questionnaires to the 100 hospitals that have pediatric residency programs from 2009 to 2011.

Results: We received complete responses from 73 hospitals and partial responses from 14 hospitals.

Recent incidence of congenital heart disease in neonatal care unit of secondary medical center: a single center study.

Purpose: With feasibility in the diagnoses of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the antenatal period, we suspect changes have occurred in its incidence. No data have been reported about the current incidence of simple forms of CHD in Korea. We have attempted to assess the recent incidence and characteristics of CHD in the neonatal care unit of a secondary referral medical center.

Epidemiology of Kawasaki disease in infants 3 months of age and younger.

Purpose: This study investigated the epidemiology of Kawasaki disease (KD) in infants ≤3-month-old.

Methods: To study the epidemiology of KD in Korea, data for 27,851 KD patients were collected on a 3-year basis between 2000 and 2008 in a retrospective survey. From this, data for 609 KD patients ≤3-month-old were analyzed and compared with the data for KD patients >3-month-old.

A case of hemolytic uremic syndrome preceded by intussusception.

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is the most common cause of acute renal failure in young children. It is classically characterized by the triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and uremia. Further, not only is intussusception one of the differential diagnoses of HUS but it may also become a complication during disease progression.

Establishment of secondary iron overloaded mouse model: evaluation of cardiac function and analysis according to iron concentration.

Periodic blood transfusion can lead to secondary iron overload in patients with hematologic and oncologic diseases. Iron overload can result in iron deposition in heart tissue, which decreases cardiac function and can ultimately lead to death due to dilated cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure. In this study, we established murine model of secondary iron overload, studied the changes in cardiac function with echocardiography, and examined the histopathologic changes.

Clinical manifestations of CNS infections caused by enterovirus type 71.

Purpose: Enterovirus 71, one of the enteroviruses that are responsible for both hand-foot-and-mouth disease and herpangina, can cause neural injury. During periods of endemic spread of hand-foot-andmouth disease caused by enterovirus 71, CNS infections are also frequently diagnosed and may lead to increased complications from neural injury, as well as death. We present the results of our epidemiologic research on the clinical manifestations of children with CNS infections caused by enterovirus 71.