Treatment of Acute Stage of Kawasaki Disease Based on Updated 2024 Guidelines from the American Heart Association

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile vasculitis, mainly involving coronary arteries in children under the age of 5 years. KD causes coronary artery dilation and aneurysm in about 25% of untreated patients and is the leading cause of acquired heart disease at potential risk of angina or myocardial infarction. Among the 2024 American Heart Association guidelines of KD, newly updated based on the data since 2017, treatment guidelines of acute stage will be mainly described herein. They summarize several anti-inflammatory therapies, and primary intensification combination therapy for high risk patients with KD. In South Korea, the prevalence of KD is higher compared to USA. Because high risk factors of refractoriness and management situation are different from those of USA, the treatment guidelines need to be applied suitably. Furthermore, there are needs to find risk factors for intravenous immunoglobulin refractoriness of KD in South Korea and establish guidelines for KD patients through the national multicenter study.