Incidence Survey of Kawasaki Disease in 1997 and 1998 in Japan

To describe the results of a nationwide epidemiologic survey of Kawasaki disease for the 2-year period 1997 and 1998. We sent a questionnaire to all hospitals with 100 beds or more throughout Japan (2663 hospitals) requesting data on patients with Kawasaki disease. Study items included name, sex, date of birth, date of initial hospital visit, diagnosis, address, recurrence, sibling cases, gammaglobulin treatment, and cardiac lesion in the acute stage or 1 month after onset. Of the 2663 hospitals, 68.5% responded, reporting 12 966 patients-7489 males and 5477 females. Of the total patients reported, 6373 (incidence rate of 108.0 per 100 000 children