Linking Kawasaki Disease to Mental Health: A Nationwide Study on Long-Term Neurological Risks

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a childhood systematic vasculitis. Emerging evidence suggests a link between KD and long-term neurological implications. This study examines the association between KD and subsequent neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders using national health data from South Korea. Materials and Methods: Using the National Health Information Database, we identified KD patients diagnosed between 2002 and 2021 and selected those born between 2008 and 2015. Propensity score matching with a 1:4 ratio was applied to create a control group. The incidence of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders from 2017 to 2021 was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for age, sex, and urbanicity. Results: This study included 41,806 KD subjects and 163,829 matched controls. KD was associated with an increased risk of certain neuropsychiatric disorders: anxiety disorder (HR: 1.124, 1.047-1.207), sleep-related disorder (HR: 1.257, 1.094-1.444), movement disorder (HR: 1.227, 1.030-1.461), and any neuropsychiatric disorder (HR: 1.102, 1.053-1.153). For neurodevelopmental disorders, KD patients showed a lower incidence of intellectual disability (HR: 0.747, 0.641-0.871) but an increased risk of tic disorder (HR: 1.148, 1.020-1.292). Male gender and urban residency were associated with higher incidence rates for certain conditions. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that KD patients show increased risks for anxiety, sleep-related disorder, movement disorder, and tic disorder, a reduced incidence of intellectual disability, and a higher risk of tic disorder. These findings highlight the need for long-term neurological monitoring in KD patients and provide insights into its potential neurodevelopmental impact.