Clinical advancements of biologic agents in the treatment of Kawasaki disease based on its pathogenesis

Qi-Ling Yin; You-Qiong Liu; Hui-Min Zhang; Wei-Hua Zhang; Qi-Ling Yin; You-Qiong Liu; Hui-Min Zhang; Wei-Hua Zhang

doi:10.3934/Allergy.2025008

AIMS Allergy and Immunology

2025, Volume 9, Issue 2: 108-122. doi: 10.3934/Allergy.2025008

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Clinical advancements of biologic agents in the treatment of Kawasaki disease based on its pathogenesis

1.
First Clinical Medical College, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi Province, China
2.
Department of Pediatric Respiratory, Rainbow Hospital of Xianyang (Children's Hospital of Xianyang), Xianyang 712000, Shaanxi Province, China

Received: 07 March 2025 Revised: 11 May 2025 Accepted: 26 May 2025 Published: 31 May 2025

Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an acute febrile systemic vasculitis predominantly affecting children under the age of 5 years. The hallmark of KD is systemic vasculitis, which can lead to coronary artery complications if not promptly treated. Approximately 15%–20% of untreated cases develop coronary artery aneurysms, coronary artery stenosis, or thrombosis, posing significant risks to pediatric health and survival. In recent years, the incidence of KD has shown an upward trend. While intravenous immunoglobulin in combination with aspirin remains the standard first-line therapy for acute KD, some patients exhibit resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin or progress to refractory KD. The rapid advancement of modern biomedicine has led to increased interest in biological agents for KD treatment, yielding promising outcomes.
- biological agents,
- Kawasaki disease,
- treatment,
- clinical progress,
- pathogenesis
Citation: Qi-Ling Yin, You-Qiong Liu, Hui-Min Zhang, Wei-Hua Zhang. Clinical advancements of biologic agents in the treatment of Kawasaki disease based on its pathogenesis[J]. AIMS Allergy and Immunology, 2025, 9(2): 108-122. doi: 10.3934/Allergy.2025008

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Abstract

Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an acute febrile systemic vasculitis predominantly affecting children under the age of 5 years. The hallmark of KD is systemic vasculitis, which can lead to coronary artery complications if not promptly treated. Approximately 15%–20% of untreated cases develop coronary artery aneurysms, coronary artery stenosis, or thrombosis, posing significant risks to pediatric health and survival. In recent years, the incidence of KD has shown an upward trend. While intravenous immunoglobulin in combination with aspirin remains the standard first-line therapy for acute KD, some patients exhibit resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin or progress to refractory KD. The rapid advancement of modern biomedicine has led to increased interest in biological agents for KD treatment, yielding promising outcomes.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province, China (NO.2020SF-004).

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in relation to this paper.

Author contributions

Zhang WH and Yin QL contributed to conception and design of the study; Yin QL wrote the first draft of the manuscript; all authors contributed to editing of the manuscript.

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