European consensus-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Kawasaki Disease – the SHARE initiative

Nienke de Graeff, Noortje Groot, Seza Ozen, Despina Eleftheriou,Tadej Avcin, Brigitte Bader-Meunier, Pavla Dolezalova, Brian M. Feldman,Isabelle Kone-Paut, Pekka Lahdenne, Liza McCann, Clarissa Pilkington, Angelo Ravelli, Annet van Royen-Kerkhof, Yosef Uziel, Bas Vastert,Nico Wulffraat, Sylvia Kamphuis, Paul Brogan, yandMichael W. Beresford

April 2019

The European Single Hub and Access point for paediatric Rheumatology in Europe initiative aimed to optimize care for children with rheumatic diseases. Kawasaki Disease is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children and an important cause of long-term cardiac disease into adulthood. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of Kawasaki Disease is difficult due to the heterogeneity of the disease but is crucial for improving outcome. To date, there are no European internationally agreed, evidence-based guidelines concerning the diagnosis and treatment of Kawasaki Disease in children. Accordingly, treatment regimens differ widely. The aim of this study is to provide consensus-based, European-wide evidence-informed recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of children with Kawasaki Disease.