Open AccessGeneral Pathology Of Kawasaki Disease
Author(s) -
Amano Shigeru,
Hazama Fumitada,
Kubagawa Hiromi,
Tasaka* Kachio,
Haebara Hideyuki,
Hamashima Yoshihiro
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
acta patholigica japonica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 0001-6632
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1827.1980.tb00966.x
Subject(s) - medicine , kawasaki disease , polyarteritis nodosa , systemic vasculitis , pathology , vasculitis , pericarditis , myocarditis , systemic disease , endocarditis , dermatology , disease , artery
Systemic pathological alterations were studied in thirty‐seven autopsied patients with Kawasaki disease. Systemic vasculitis was the most characteristic pathological finding and was present in all the patients. In addition to the vasculitis, there was a high incidence of inflammatory lesions in various organs and tissues: in the heart, endocarditis, myocarditis, and pericarditis; in the digestive system, stomatitis, sialoduct‐adenitis, catarrhal enteritis, hepatitis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, and pancreas ductitis; in the respiratory system, bronchitis and segmental interstitial pneumonia; in the urinary system, focal interstitial nephritis, cystitis, and prostatitis; in the nervous system, aseptic leptomeningitis, choriomeningitis, ganglionitis, and neuritis; in the hematopoietic system, lymphadenitis, splenitis, and thymitis. Dermatitis, panniculitis or myositis were also observed in some patients. Therefore, Kawasaki disease is a systemic inflammatory disease which mainly affects the cardiovascular system. These systemic inflammatory lesions are considered to correspond to the variegated clinical manifestaitions. The relationship between Kawasaki disease and infantile polyarteritis nodosa (IPN) were discussed, based on the clinicopathological characteristics.