Treatment of immune globulin-resistant Kawasaki disease with pulsed doses of corticosteroids.

Abstract

We describe four children with Kawasaki disease resistant to treatment with intravenously administered immune globulin who were treated with high doses of methylprednisolone. All four patients apparently responded with normalization of symptoms, and none had significant progression of coronary artery abnormalities or adverse events. We recommend pulse methylprednisolone therapy (30 mg/kg per day) during a 1- to 3-day period for patients with Kawasaki disease who do not respond to intravenous immune globulin therapy or who have recrudescent disease after adequate therapy.