8th National Conference of the Indian Society of Kawasaki Disease Held in Kochi

KOCHI:

The 8th National Conference of the Indian Society of Kawasaki Disease (NCISKD 2025) was held in Kochi under the leadership of Amrita Hospital, at the IMA House. The conference highlighted the need for timely diagnosis and increased awareness of Kawasaki disease, one of the major primary vasculitides seen in children. The scientific meeting, supported by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, saw the participation of leading experts from across the country.

Kawasaki disease is most commonly seen in children below five years of age. Prolonged high-grade fever lasting more than 4–5 days, redness of the eyes, lips and tongue, swelling of the hands and feet, and enlargement of neck lymph nodes are some of the classical symptoms. Since these symptoms can mimic common viral fever, diagnosis is often delayed. Experts at the conference stressed that early identification and treatment are crucial because the disease can affect the coronary arteries, potentially leading to serious cardiac complications.

Experts also noted that regular echocardiography is essential to assess changes in the child’s heart, and that infants—who often do not show typical symptoms—are at a higher risk of complications. Hence, heightened vigilance from parents and primary care physicians is necessary.

The conference featured national and international experts from pediatric cardiology, pediatric rheumatology, and immunology. Sessions included discussions on emerging biomarkers for diagnosis, AI-based identification tools, management of complex cases, and new treatment modalities for refractory Kawasaki disease.

Dr. Kazuyuki Ikeda from Japan and Tsubura Kawasaki, daughter of Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki—the physician who first identified the disease—were special guests at the conference. Various workshops, panel discussions, and research presentations were also conducted as part of the event.

The program was organized under the leadership of Dr. R. Krishnakumar, Head of Pediatric Cardiology, Amrita Hospital, Kochi (Organizing Chairperson, Indian Society of Kawasaki Disease), and Dr. Suma Balan, Consultant, Pediatric Rheumatology (Organizing Secretary, Indian Society of Kawasaki Disease). Dr. Ramesh Kumar, former President of the Indian Association of Pediatrics, also took part in the conference.

The conference emphasized the need for strengthening awareness at all levels of the healthcare system to ensure early recognition of even the mildest symptoms of Kawasaki disease and thereby reduce cardiac complications.