The association between Kawasaki disease and allergic diseases, from infancy to school age

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most common acquired heart disease among preschool children in most industrialized countries. An atopic trend after KD illness has been observed in epidemiological studies. This is consistent with the findings of elevated IgE levels and increased IL-4 in KD patients. However, studies on the early allergic association among children with KD are still limited. This study aimed to evaluate the association between KD and allergic diseases, from infancy to school age. Allergic diseases included atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma, and urticaria. This matched case-control study used the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan as its data source. Patients born between 1997 and 2004 and with a main diagnosis of KD were retrieved for analysis. A 1:4 matched control group was selected by zip code, gender, and age. The prevalence rates and progression sequence of allergic manifestations were analyzed. During the first 5 years of life, children with KD had higher rates of allergic manifestations. Both groups have similar atopic march. In 2010, at the age of 6-13 years, there were 7072 children with KD and 27,265 children without KD. Children with KD had more AR (odds ratio [OR] 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-1.38) and asthma (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05-1.27) than controls. Children with KD have a higher allergic susceptibility recognized from their 1st year of life. The atopic tendency persists until school age. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the underlying determinants of this distinct immune phenotype.