Abstract
Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis of unknown origin, which often occurs in young children. The frequency of myocarditis as a complication of Kawasaki disease is more than 50%, including asymptomatic cases, but it is rare for there to be complications of serious myocarditis requiring therapeutic intervention. However, many cases of serious myocarditis do not respond to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, and although the number of cases is small, cases of mortality have been reported, so serious myocarditis as a complication of Kawasaki disease requires rigorous and focused therapeutic management, as a potentially life-threatening condition. We herein report on two cases of children in whom cardiogenic shock occurred, resulting from myocarditis as a complication of Kawasaki disease. There was no response to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, and no improvement in circulation was obtained with high volumes of cardiovascular agent, but with plasma exchange, a favorable outcome was obtained. It is believed that in serious myocarditis as a complication of Kawasaki disease, plasma exchange can be considered as an effective treatment method.
