Research on Kawasaki disease
Children's Memorial has been a leader in the treatment trials that have
established what is now the standard treatment for Kawasaki disease. Three
treatment trials brought us to our conclusions. The first treatment trial proved
that four days of IV gammaglobulin (IVGG) plus high-dose aspirin was highly
effective in preventing coronary artery problems. It also resulted in prompt
improvement in the fever, rash, and other features of the illness.
The second treatment trial compared a single larger dose of IVGG and
high-dose aspirin to four days of IVGG treatment with high-dose aspirin. The
results were similar to the previous treatment, but the treatment with large
single dose IVGG resulted in faster recovery from fever, rash, and other
features of the illness.
Our third treatment trial compared the single large dose of IVGG and
high-dose aspirin to the same dose of IVGG with low-dose aspirin. We found that
fever, rash, red eyes, and other features of the treatment disappeared more
quickly when high-dose aspirin was combined with single dose IVGG than when
low-dose aspirin was combined with IVGG. On the basis of these studies, IVGG
along with high-dose aspirin is now the standard recommended therapy for
treatment of Kawasaki disease.
Current research
The most exciting research being done anywhere on the cause of Kawasaki
disease is in the lab of Dr. Anne Rowley. Her research uses highly
sophisticated tools of molecular biology. Focusing on the IgA immune response,
her research holds great promise to increase our understanding of Kawasaki
disease.
Clinical Studies
Our researchers have published a number of articles related to clinical
aspects of Kawasaki disease so doctors around the world can benefit from our
extensive research. These studies have include:
- Infants under one year of age with Kawasaki disease
- Examining the changes in blood lipids (fats) in the early stages of
Kawasaki disease
- Two surveys of U.S. hospitals regarding the yearly number of hospital
admissions for children with Kawasaki disease
- Analyses of Japanese and American treatment studies using various IVGG and
aspirin doses
- Analysis of the efficacy of IVGG and aspirin to prevent giant coronary
aneurysms
- Analysis of the efficacy of IVGG treatment before the seventh illness day
compared to treatment on the eighth to tenth day of illness
- A study of 13 patients worldwide with Kawasaki disease who have needed
heart transplants
- Children who develop the vary rare and severe complications of gangrene
during Kawasaki disease
- A study of several unusual genetic markers in the disease.· Descriptions
of children with Kawasaki disease who have swollen neck glands and fever as
their only major sign of infection
- A study of older children with the condition
- A study of the children who develop the vary rare and severe complications
of gangrene during Kawasaki disease
- A study of several unusual genetic markers in the disease
- Descriptions of children with Kawasaki disease who have swollen neck
glands and fever as their only major sign of infection
- A study of older children with the condition
- A study of the rare children who require bypass surgery for the
disease