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Treatment Options for Resistant Kawasaki Disease

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Abstract

“Resistant” Kawasaki disease is defined by the American Heart Association as failure to respond within 36 h following the first dose of intravenous immunoglobulin. The optimal management of resistant Kawasaki disease remains uncertain, the outcomes are potentially serious, and the cost of some treatments is considerable. We review the current evidence to guide treatment of resistant Kawasaki disease. Given the relative rarity, there are few trial data, and studies tend to be small and methodologically heterogeneous, making interpretation difficult and limiting generalisability. The literature on resistant Kawasaki disease should be interpreted with reference to current expert consensus guidelines.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Linny Kimly Phuong & Nigel Curtis

  2. Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Nigel Curtis & David Burgner

  3. Rheumatology Service, Department of General Medicine, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

    Peter Gowdie & Jonathan Akikusa

  4. Department of Paediatrics and Department of Paediatric Rheumatology, Monash Children’s Hospital, Clayton, Australia

    Peter Gowdie

  5. Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Peter Gowdie & David Burgner

  6. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia

    Jonathan Akikusa & David Burgner

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  1. Linny Kimly Phuong
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Linny Kimly Phuong, Jonathan Akikusa, Peter Gowdie, Nigel Curtis and David Burgner declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Phuong, L.K., Curtis, N., Gowdie, P. et al. Treatment Options for Resistant Kawasaki Disease. Pediatr Drugs 20, 59–80 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-017-0269-6

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