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Acute Kawasaki Disease: Not Just for Kids

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Kawasaki Disease is a small-to-medium-vessel vasculitis that preferentially affects children. Kawasaki Disease can occur in adults, but the presentation may differ from that observed in children. Typical findings in both adults and children include fever, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, and skin erythema progressing to a desquamating rash on the palms and soles. Adults more frequently present with cervical adenopathy (93% of adults vs. 15% of children), hepatitis (65% vs. 10%), and arthralgia (61% vs. 24–38%). In contrast, adults are less frequently affected by meningitis (10% vs. 34%), thrombocytosis (55% vs. 100%), and coronary artery aneurysms (5% vs. 18–25%). We report a case of acute Kawasaki Disease in a 24-year-old man who presented with rash, fever, and arthritis. He was successfully treated with high-dose aspirin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Our case highlights the importance of considering Kawasaki Disease in adults presenting with symptoms commonly encountered in a general medical practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Anne E. Wolff MD

  2. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Karen E. Hansen MD & Laura Zakowski MD

  3. 1190 Health Sciences Learning Center, 700 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, USA

    Laura Zakowski MD

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  1. Anne E. Wolff MD
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  2. Karen E. Hansen MD
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  3. Laura Zakowski MD
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Correspondence to Laura Zakowski MD.

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Wolff, A.E., Hansen, K.E. & Zakowski, L. Acute Kawasaki Disease: Not Just for Kids. J GEN INTERN MED 22, 681–684 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-006-0100-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-006-0100-5

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