OBJECTIVES: The current Australian epidemiology of Kawasaki disease (KD) is poorly defined. Previous enhanced surveillance (1993–1995) estimated an incidence of 3.7/100 000 <5 years. METHODS: We identified all patients hospitalized in Western Australia (current population ∼2.4 million) 1979 through 2009 with a discharge diagnosis of KD. We reviewed demographic, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data from individual patient files and derived age-specific population estimates. KD diagnosis was made using standard criteria. RESULTS: There were 353 KD cases, with incomplete KD in 34 (9.6%). Male to female ratio was 1.7:1 and median age was 3.8 years (interquartile range 12–60 months). Fifty (18.1%) patients were Asian. Mean annual incidence increased from 2.82 per 100 000 children aged <5 years (95% confidence interval, 1.93–3.99) in 1980 to 1989, to 7.96 (6.48–9.67) in 1990 to 1999, to 9.34 (7.72–11.20) in 2000 to 2009. The highest incidence was 15.7 in 2005. A total of 293 children (83%) received intravenous immunoglobulin and 331 (95.4%) aspirin. Of 282 children who completed echocardiographic studies, 47 (16.7%) had coronary artery (CA) ectasia/dilatation and 19 (6.8%) had CA aneurysms; male gender was significantly associated with CA abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: KD epidemiology in Western Australia mirrors that of other industrialized, predominantly European-Caucasian populations. The rising incidence likely reflects both improved ascertainment and a real increase in disease burden. The current Australian incidence is threefold higher than previously reported and similar to the United Kingdom. The CA outcomes, which include the pre-intravenous immunoglobulin era, are comparable to those reported elsewhere.

We studied the introduction rate after a negative challenge to mixed tree nut biscuit. This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent and passed mixed tree nut biscuit challenges performed at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) between 2016 and 2018. Follow-up phone calls were made to families to ascertain if the tree nuts included in the tree nut biscuit were still included in the child’s diet 1 to 3 years following negative oral food challenge (OFC). A total of 162 children underwent mixed tree nut biscuit challenge between 2016 and 2018 at Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. A total of 141 (87%) passed mixed tree nut biscuit challenge. Of the 133 children that were contacted (8 children could not be contacted), 104 children still included some or all of the challenge nuts in the child’s diet; with 24 children completely eliminating the challenge nuts (18%), 5 children eliminated some of the challenge nuts (3.5%). We found a high introduction rate (82%); however, some families may require more support to maintain the tree nuts in the child’s diet following a negative OFC.

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