Steroids helpful in minimizing heart damage in children with Kawasaki's disease

Steroids possess a unique ability to significantly minimize heart damage in children with Kawasaki's disease, according to a study published in an issue of Pediatrics.

The new finding of this study addresses a gap in knowledge as the current guidelines from the the American Academy of Pediatrics state that enough evidence for steroid treatment is lacking and recommendations are been made for the standard treatment of Kawasaki's via aspirin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

From News-Medical.Net:

"This gap in knowledge led us to examine the benefits of steroids more closely. We looked at research worldwide and were surprised to find eight solid clinical trials showing the value of steroids in significantly reducing heart damage in children with Kawasaki's disease. Steroids, when combined with aspirin and IVGB, reduced the odds of developing inflammation of the heart blood vessels by half," said Stephen Aronoff, MD, lead author of the meta-analysis and Temple University School of Medicine professor and chair of pediatrics.

Aronoff said that a currently underway multi-center study is expected to offer a new paradigm and further evidence in relation with the benefits of steroid treatment for Kawasaki's disease that is believed to be one of the leading causes of acquired heart disease in children inflaming the blood vessels leading to the human heart.