Severe Global Inflammatory Involvement of Ocular Segments and Optic Disc Swelling in a 12-Year-Old Girl with Kawasaki Disease

Purpose

Pediatric Kawasaki ocular involvement is dominated by bulbar conjunctival injection and mild, self-limited anterior uveitis. Posterior segment involvement is rare.

Methods/Results

Case report. Despite early efficient treatment including aspirin and intravenous immunoglobulins, a 12-year-old girl developed a severe bilateral global inflammatory ocular involvement including punctuated keratitis, retrodescemetic precipitates, anterior uveitis, vitritis, and bilateral optic disc swelling with papillitis.

This is the first description of severe bilateral global inflammatory involvement of the eyes in Kawasaki disease (KD). Usually subclinical and self-limited, eye involvement in KD can lead to severe visual impairment.

Conclusions

Inflammation of both anterior and posterior segments does not seem to respond to KD-specific treatment and could justify a specific ophthalmologic therapeutic approach.