Myocarditis and coronary dilatation in the 1st week of life : neonatal incomplete Kawasaki disease?

• Published in: European journal of pediatrics Vol. 157; no. 7; pp. 589 - 591
• Main Authors: BOLZ, D, ARBENZ, U, FANCONI, S, BAUERSFELD, U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.07.1998; Berlin Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Coronary Disease - diagnosis; Coronary Disease - etiology; Emergency and intensive care: neonates and children. Prematurity. Sudden death; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome - complications; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome - diagnosis; Myocarditis - diagnosis; Myocarditis - etiology; Human; Kawasaki syndrome; Immunopathology; Coronary artery; Clinical form; Cardiovascular disease; Autoimmune disease; Myocardial disease; Vascular disease; Case study; Myocarditis; Vasculitis; Newborn; Dilatation; Etiology; Heart disease; Systemic disease
• ISSN: 0340-6199; 1432-1076
• DOI: 10.1007/s004310050885

Acute heart failure in the early neonatal period is rare. Normally it is due to asphyxia, severe septicaemia, a congenital heart malformation or a viral myocarditis. Kawasaki disease (KD) as a cause of an neonatal myocarditis is not an established diagnosis. KD is a vasculitis of still unknown origin occurring predominantly in infants and preschool children. KD before the age of 3 months is rare. There are only few reports about KD in the 1st month. We present a newborn who showed the cardiac symptoms of KD in the 1st week of life with coronary dilatation and myocarditis. The diagnosis of incomplete KD should be considered not only in infants but also in newborns with signs of myocarditis and coronary abnormalities. Therapy with gammaglobulins may prevent the sequelae of coronary involvement.