Investigations for Kawasaki disease

The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Melbourne

Investigations for patients with suspected Kawasaki disease include:

• echocardiography—should be performed as early as possible but must not delay initiation of treatment. Follow-up echocardiography at 2 weeks and 6 to 8 weeks, looking for coronary artery abnormalities; children with echocardiographic coronary artery lesions are considered ‘high risk’
• inflammatory markers—erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration
• full blood count—anaemia, leucocytosis, thrombocytosis (common after 7 days)
• 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG)
• serum electrolytes, urea and creatinine concentrations, liver biochemistry
• urinalysis
• septic workup depending on clinical presentation—may include blood cultures, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, antistreptolysin-O titre, specific viral testing.