RADARSOLO.COM – Cardiologist and blood vessel specialist Harapan Kita National Heart Center dr. Aditya Agita Sembiring, Sp.JP advises parents to ensure their children get complete immunizations according to the recommended schedule as a preventative measure and help reduce the risk of Kawasaki disease, quoted from ANTARA.
“Ensuring children get complete immunization according to the schedule recommended by the health authorities. Routine immunizations, such as the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella), can help protect against infections that can trigger Kawasaki disease,” said Aditya, Tuesday (30/5).
Complete immunization can also reduce the more serious complications of Kawasaki disease, which mostly affect children. Apart from immunization, avoiding exposure to infections such as practicing hand washing, keeping the environment clean and avoiding contact with individuals who are sick can also be recommended infection prevention measures.
Kawasaki disease, also known as Kawasaki syndrome, is an inflammatory disease that affects the small blood vessels in the body, especially in children under five years of age. The disease was first identified by a Japanese doctor named Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967 and has since been named after him.
Symptoms experienced by children infected with Kawasaki disease can vary, however, common symptoms that usually occur include fever that lasts more than five days and does not respond to fever-reducing drugs, rashes on the skin such as measles or rubella, swollen lymph nodes, red and cracked lips -broken, red and swollen tongue or often called “strawberry tongue”, swollen joints in the hands and feet and red eyes.
Kawasaki disease can also cause symptoms such as joint pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and decreased appetite.
“If you see suspicious symptoms in a child, immediately consult a doctor for proper evaluation and treatment. Early treatment can help reduce the risk of serious complications,” said Aditya.
The doctor who specializes in pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease said that Kawasaki disease is different from a heart disease that usually affects adults, which is called coronary heart disease (CHD). If Kawasaki disease is not treated properly it can cause complications of coronary artery dilation which has the potential to cause accumulation of blood clots in the coronary arteries and eventually completely block the coronary arteries.
The resulting symptoms will resemble the symptoms of a heart attack in adult patients, namely chest pain as if a heavy object has hit it and if not helped quickly it can be fatal.
The commonly used treatment for Kawasaki disease involves a combination of high-dose aspirin given until the fever subsides and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), which is recommended by the American Heart Association. Therapy aims to reduce inflammation, prevent complications, and speed recovery.
“In the treatment of Kawasaki, IVIG is given in high doses via intravenous infusion to reduce inflammation and prevent the development of a coronary aneurysm. IVIG administration is usually done only once, usually for 10-12 hours,” said the doctor who graduated from the University of North Sumatra.
Aditya said that with proper treatment, most children with Kawasaki disease will recover completely without any long-term complications.
Taking data from Japan, he said that out of 26,691 patients, there were 4 (0.015 percent) deaths due to Kawasaki disease in 2011-2012. While data from the United States shows the death rate is slightly higher than Japan, which is around 0.17 percent.
Deaths in both countries occurred due to the most common serious complications, namely coronary aneurysm formation, dilation and swelling of the heart blood vessels. Aditya said coronary aneurysms can increase the risk of heart disease and require long-term monitoring by a cardiologist.
The prognosis of Kawasaki disease, according to Aditya, is also influenced by other factors, such as age when suffering from the disease (infants under 1 year old have a higher risk of complications), the presence of cardiovascular complications, and the right time of treatment. If a coronary aneurysm forms, prompt treatment and follow-up is essential to monitor and manage the heart condition.
Kawasaki disease is still considered a disease that is late in treatment because of an incorrect diagnosis. Therefore, Aditya said, it is important to follow general health guidelines, maintain cleanliness, and involve medical personnel if there are concerns or suspicious symptoms in children.
2023-05-30 09:48:02
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