Tendency toward atopy in Kawasaki disease

Abstract

To evaluate the possible trend towards developing allergic disease in children who had suffered from Kawasaki disease (KD), we evaluated data related to allergy that were collected by parental questionnaire on 1,165 children who had suffered from KD. Comparisons were made with 5,825 sex- and age-matched control children. The incidence of household pets and of cigarette smoking in the family were significantly lower in the children with a history of KD than in those of control children. A family history of allergy was significantly more common in the children with a history of KD (71%) versus the controls (56%) (P < 0.001). The incidence of atopic dermatitis and of allergic rhinitis was significantly higher (by approximately 1.7 times) in the KD children versus the control group (P < 0.01), even in subgroups with no family history of allergy.

Conclusion We suggest that a genetic predisposition to atopy may be associated with a susceptibility to KD. Patients with KD tended to develop atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis.