Kawasaki disease manifesting as bilateral facial nerve palsy and meningitis: a case report and literature review

Kawasaki Disease Presenting with Fever and Jaundice: Case Report

Kawasaki disease (KD), which is also known as cutaneous mucosal lymph node syndrome, is an acute, self-limiting, necrotizing vasculitis with unclear cause that primarily affects small- and medium-sized blood vessels and most commonly affects children aged 6 months to 5 years. Currently, diagnosis is based primarily on typical clinical symptoms. Approximately 15%-20% of patients are highly suspected of having KD; however, they do not match the diagnostic criteria for typical KD, which is referred to as incomplete Kawasaki disease (IKD), and this has become a major challenge in the diagnosis and treatment of KD. We describe a case of a 7-year-old boy who had a fever and jaundice as his initial symptoms. After a series of clinical laboratory and imaging examinations and marked improvement of symptoms after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), IKD was considered as the diagnosis. When children present with jaundice and fever, physicians should consider KD as a possible diagnosis to ensure early detection and treatment of the disease.

Bilateral facial nerve palsy complicating Kawasaki disease: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Kawasaki disease (KD) manifests as an acute, self-limited vasculitis disease that constitutes the primary cause of acquired heart disease in children under 5 years of age. Facial nerve palsy (FNP) is a rare complication associated with coronary artery lesions (CALs) in patients with KD. Patients with KD and FNP usually present atypically, leading to a delayed diagnosis and treatment of KD.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 4-month-old boy with fever, left FNP and bilateral conjunctival injection with spontaneous resolution, was admitted to the hospital, received a short course of intravenous dexamethasone, and experienced rapid FNP recovery on the first admission. The patient experienced a resurgence of fever, bilateral conjunctival injection, and right FNP, which led to readmission. Physical examination revealed redness at the site of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin inoculation, reddening of lips, and desquamation of the distal extremities. Echocardiography revealed right-sided CALs.

DIAGNOSES

The patient initially missed KD on the first admission, and was later diagnosed with complete KD with FNP on the second admission.

INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES

After a short course of intravenous dexamethasone, the left FNP resolved quickly. However, right FNP recurred after corticosteroids withdrawal. Meanwhile, more typical symptoms were observed, and KD was diagnosed. Treatment ensued with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), aspirin, and dexamethasone. The patient achieved rapid remission, without recurrence. Echocardiography continued to show normal findings during 1-year follow-up after discharge.

LESSONS

The clinical symptoms of FNP complicating KD in children are atypical and can easily lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment. FNP in patients with KD may serve as a risk factor for CALs, which are more challenging to resolve than the FNP itself. Adding corticosteroids to IVIG may be recommended to reduce IVIG resistance, decrease the risk of developing CALs, and alleviate CALs.

Bilateral facial nerve palsy as a presentation of coexisting neuroborreliosis and post-acute COVID-19 syndrome

Bilateral simultaneous facial nerve palsy is an extremely rare condition that may be induced by infection (bacterial, viral, or fungal) or noninfective causes (autoimmune, traumatic, or structural). The treatment depends on the underlying disorder, and, if it is introduced on time, the disease is in most cases completely reversible. We report on a patient with bilateral simultaneous facial nerve palsy without an obvious cause. The possible causes were SARS-CoV-2 infection and postvaccination syndrome. After we excluded the SARS-CoV-2 infection, a wide range of diagnostic tests were conducted. Magnetic resonance imaging after gadolinium intravenous application showed bilateral facial nerve enhancement. Serological tests revealed Borrelia burgdorferi, and the result was confirmed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgM positivity). After 14 days of antibiotic therapy, the symptoms resolved completely without sequelae. This report shows that the symptoms of bilateral simultaneous facial nerve palsy may completely resolve if thorough clinical investigation and an appropriate early treatment are applied.

Kawasaki disease with peritonsillar abscess as the first symptom: A case report

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis of unknown aetiology that mainly involves the medium and small arteries and can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, with a 25% incidence of coronary artery aneurysms. Periton-Sillar abscesses are a rare symptom of KD and is easily misdiagnosed at its early stages.

CASE SUMMARY

A 5-year-old boy who presented to a community hospital with a 3-d fever, difficulty in opening his mouth, and neck pain and was originally treated for throat infection without improvement. On the basis of laboratory tests, ultrasound of submandibular and superficial lymph nodes and computed tomography of the neck, the clinician diagnosed the periamygdala abscess and sepsis that did not resolve after antibiotic therapy. On the fifth day of admission, the child developed conjunctival congestion, prune tongue, perianal congestion and desquamation, and slightly stiff and swollen bunions on both feet. A diagnosis of KD was reached with complete remission after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment.

CONCLUSION

Children with neck pain, lymph node enlargement, or airway obstruction as the main manifestations are poorly treated with intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics. Clinicians should not rush invasive operations such as neck puncture, incision, and drainage and should be alert for KD when it cannot be explained by deep neck space infection and early treatment with aspirin combined with gammaglobulin.

Kawasaki disease with peritonsillar abscess as the first symptom: A case report

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis of unknown aetiology that mainly involves the medium and small arteries and can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, with a 25% incidence of coronary artery aneurysms. Periton–Sillar abscesses are a rare symptom of KD and is easily misdiagnosed at its early stages.

CASE SUMMARY

A 5-year-old boy who presented to a community hospital with a 3-d fever, difficulty in opening his mouth, and neck pain and was originally treated for throat infection without improvement. On the basis of laboratory tests, ultrasound of submandibular and superficial lymph nodes and computed tomography of the neck, the clinician diagnosed the periamygdala abscess and sepsis that did not resolve after antibiotic therapy. On the fifth day of admission, the child developed conjunctival congestion, prune tongue, perianal congestion and desquamation, and slightly stiff and swollen bunions on both feet. A diagnosis of KD was reached with complete remission after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment.

CONCLUSION

Children with neck pain, lymph node enlargement, or airway obstruction as the main manifestations are poorly treated with intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics. Clinicians should not rush invasive operations such as neck puncture, incision, and drainage and should be alert for KD when it cannot be explained by deep neck space infection and early treatment with aspirin combined with gammaglobulin.

Incomplete Kawasaki Disease with Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy and Lung Nodules: A Case Report and Literature Review

The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) is challenging and often delayed mainly in case of young infants and in presence of an incomplete disease and atypical features. Facial nerve palsy is one of the rare neurologic symptoms of KD, associated with a higher incidence of coronary arteries lesions and may be an indicator of a more severe disease. Here, we describe a case of lower motor neuron facial nerve palsy complicating KD and perform an extensive literature review to better characterize clinical features and treatment of patients with KD-associated facial nerve palsy. The patient was diagnosed at the sixth day of disease and presented extensive coronary artery lesions. A prompt treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins, aspirin and steroids obtained a good clinical and laboratory response, with resolution of facial nerve palsy and improvement of coronary lesions. The incidence of facial nerve palsy is 0.9–1.3%; it is often unilateral, transient, more frequent on the left and seemingly associated with coronary impairment. Our literature review showed coronary artery involvement in the majority of reported cases (27/35, 77%) of KD with facial nerve palsy. Unexplained facial nerve palsy in young children with a prolonged febrile illness should prompt consideration of echocardiography to exclude KD and start the appropriate treatment.

A 2-Month-Old with Kawasaki Disease with Coronary Artery Dilation in the Pre-COVID-19 Era

Patient: Male, 2-month-old

Final Diagnosis: Kawasaki disease

Symptoms: Bleeding and peeling lips • conjunctival injection • erythema of the palms and soles • erythematous (polymorphous) maculopapular rash • fever • nasal congestion

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: Echocardiography • electrocardiogram

Specialty: Pediatrics and Neonatology

Prominent gallbladder enlargement: Kawasaki disease or other congenital or acquired gallbladder disease? A case report

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a common systemic vasculitis in childhood that can result in damage to multiple body systems. However, prominent gallbladder (GB) enlargement in the acute stage is especially rare. A 5-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital with an 8-day history of a cervical mass, 7-day history of fever, and 5-day history of abdominal pain and rash. The child was diagnosed with KD. After treatment with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (2 g/kg), all clinical manifestations were relieved except the abdominal pain. Enhanced computed tomography showed distinct enlargement of the GB, and a congenital choledochal cyst was strongly suspected. After high-dose glucocorticoid treatment, his obviously enlarged GB returned to normal size in the subacute phase. No abnormality was found during 2 years of follow-up. Prominent GB enlargement may emerge in the acute stage of KD. The enlarged GB can return to normal size within the subacute stage by standard treatment for KD. Proper diagnosis, thorough differential diagnosis, and active anti-inflammatory treatment of KD are crucial to avoid surgery.

Facial nerve palsy may indicate coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease

OBJECTIVES

Facial nerve palsy (FNP) is extremely rare in Kawasaki disease (KD) and the incidence is just 0.9-1.3%. Our objective was to study the clinical features and prognosis of KD accompanied with FNP and to determine whether FNP indicated an increased risk of coronary artery lesions (CALs) in KD.

METHODS

An observational study was performed on 9 patients diagnosed as KD accompanied with FNP in Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China between September 2012 and December 2019. Patients were followed up from September 2012 till September 2020. Clinical features, laboratory and echocardiography findings, treatments, and prognosis were analyzed retrospectively. And the clinical data of patients with FNP (group A, n = 9) were compared to matched KD patients without FNP (group B, n = 27) in order to determine whether FNP indicated an increased risk of CALs in KD. The matching factors included sex, age, days of illness at the intravenous immunoglobulin use, and classic/incomplete KD forms.

RESULTS

Clinical data of 9 patients were analyzed in this study. Patients tended to be younger than 24 months of age (88.9%) and 55.6% were under 12 months. Median onset of FNP was day 10 of illness. Eight patients (88.9%) showed unilateral FNP. The levels of laboratory inflammatory markers (White blood cells count, neutrophil percentage, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, etc.) were significantly increased in most cases. CALs were noted in 8 of 9 patients (88.9%). Coronary artery aneurysms occurred in 4 cases (44.4%) and the remaining 4 patients showed coronary artery dilation. All patients were given intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (2 g/kg), aspirin (30-50 mg/kg/day), and short-term dexamethasone. During follow-up, both FNP and CALs were completely recovered in all patients. The duration time of FNP ranged from 10 to 130 days. And the time for CALs to normal ranged from 12 to 282 days. The occurrence of CALs was significantly higher in patients with FNP than those without FNP (88.9% vs. 25.9%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

KD accompanied with FNP is rare but may indicate an increased risk of CALs. Clinicians should take KD into consideration when children suffer from long-term fever with FNP, even with incomplete diagnostic features. With a long-term follow-up, both FNP and CALs have a good prognosis.

KEY POINTS

• Facial nerve palsy may indicate an increased risk of coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease. • Clinicians should take Kawasaki disease into consideration when children suffer from long-term fever with facial nerve palsy, even with incomplete diagnostic features. • Facial nerve palsy and coronary artery lesions have a good prognosis in a long-term follow-up.

Association Between Kawasaki Disease and Childhood Epilepsy: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan

Background: Kawasaki disease is a common vasculitis of childhood in East Asia. The complications following Kawasaki disease mostly included cardiovascular sequelae; non-cardiac complications have been reported but less studied. This study investigated potential epilepsy following Kawasaki disease in Taiwanese children.

Objectives: Through National Health Insurance Research Database, we retrospectively analyzed the data of children aged <18 years with clinically diagnosed Kawasaki disease from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2012 in Taiwan. These patients were followed up to estimate the incidence of epilepsy in the Kawasaki cohort in comparison with that in the non-Kawasaki cohort in Taiwan.

Results: A total of 8,463 and 33,872 patients in the Kawasaki and non-Kawasaki cohorts were included in the study, respectively. Of the total eligible study subjects, 61.1% were boys and 38.9% were girls; most patients with newly diagnosed Kawasaki disease were aged <5 years [88.1%]. Patients with Kawasaki disease showed a higher incidence rate [47.98 vs. 27.45 every 100,000 person years] and significantly higher risk [adjusted hazard ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval = 1.13–2.44] of epilepsy than those without the disease. Additionally, female sex [adjusted hazard ratio = 2.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.31–4.04] and age <5 years [adjusted hazard ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval = 1.22–2.72] showed a significantly higher risk of epilepsy in the Kawasaki cohort.

Conclusion: Results revealed a higher incidence rate and significant risk of epilepsy in Taiwanese children with Kawasaki disease than in those without the disease. Therefore, children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease are recommended follow-up as they have a high risk of epilepsy and seizure disorders.