RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Infliximab as a novel therapy for refractory Kawasaki disease.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 808
OP 810
VO 31
IS 4
A1 Weiss, Jennifer E
A1 Eberhard, B Anne
A1 Chowdhury, Devyani
A1 Gottlieb, Beth S
YR 2004
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/31/4/808.abstract
AB Kawasaki disease (KD) is a multisystem vasculitis of unknown etiology, with coronary artery aneurysms occurring in 25% of untreated cases. With conventional treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin (i.v.IG) and high dose aspirin (ASA) only 4% of patients develop coronary artery aneurysms. Children who are unresponsive present a challenge. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels peak during the acute and subacute phase of KD, especially in children who develop coronary artery aneurysms. We describe a 3-year-old male with KD and giant coronary artery aneurysms, unresponsive to multiple doses of i.v.IG and methylprednisolone, who was treated with infliximab. After the first dose he defervesced and his laboratory measures improved.