Patient's question:
The boy, aged 4, was hospitalized for one week due to Kawasaki disease. He was discharged a week ago. Upon discharge, his platelet count was 340 x 10^9. His white blood cell count was slightly elevated. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate: 41 mm in the first hour, 76 mm in the second hour. Cardiac color Doppler ultrasound and other tests were normal. Please ask: How long is needed for a follow-up cardiac color Doppler ultrasound; How long is needed for a follow-up erythrocyte sedimentation rate test?Doctor's answer:
This mainly depends on the child's clinical presentation. If the child still has clinical symptoms, it is best to check once a week. If the clinical symptoms are relatively mild, a follow-up check every half month is acceptable. Kawasaki disease requires early treatment. The treatment goal is to reduce fever and inflammation, prevent heart damage, and reduce the risk of complications. The average duration of Kawasaki disease is 12 days. 15% to 25% of untreated children may develop sequelae of coronary aneurysms requiring treatment from pediatric cardiologists (which may lead to ischemic heart disease or sudden death). The recurrence rate of Kawasaki disease is approximately 3%.