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Management Of Kawasaki Disease In Texas: Policy Implications, Alberto Coustasse, Doohee Lee, Cody Arvidson, Julius J. Larry Iii, Witold Migala

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is the leading cause of acquired cardiovascular disease among children, but KD has received little attention on its management from a policy perspective. The core objective of this paper is to review the literature, identify problems related to KD, and evaluate and offer some policy alternatives to effectively prevent and treat KD epidemiologically in Texas. Policy options suggested in this paper include, among others, (1) establishing a mandatory national KD registry system (along with active surveillance), (2) introducing sentinel providers, (3) requiring mandatory reporting of KD by hospitals, and (4) sponsoring policy KD research and practice.