A “Kawasaki Disease Test”: When Will We Get There?

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis of largely unknown etiology and is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in developed nations.¹  Several diagnostic criteria have been proposed since it was first reported in 1967,²  most recently with the updated American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2017 guidelines.³  Diagnosing KD can prove difficult, as the clinical criteria for KD are also found in other pediatric conditions, such as viral syndromes, inflammatory conditions, rheumatologic conditions, toxin-mediated syndromes, and rickettsial illnesses.^4–6  Furthermore, for children with KD, clinical criteria may not always be present at the time of presentation, making historical symptoms or further monitoring for new signs on physical exam critical to diagnosis in some cases.³  Incomplete KD presents a unique diagnostic challenge given the presence of few clinical criteria in affected children, particularly in young infants who are more likely to present atypically and with...