KAWASAKI-DISEASE - RECENT ADVANCES

Kawasaki disease (KD) is now the most common cause of acquired heart d isease in children in the United States and in Japan. Despite 20 years of research since the first English-language report of KD, the etiolo gy of this disease continues to elude us. The long-term effects of the acute vasculitis on the health of the coronary arteries in adulthood is similarly unknown. A review follows of the progress that has been m ade in our understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of this mys terious illness.