Step 2 UWorld Self-Assessment (UWSA) 2 Practice Exam

Kawasaki disease is a pediatric vasculitis where the biggest danger is getting coronary artery aneurysms if the inflammation isn’t quickly controlled. The best first-line approach combines intravenous immunoglobulin with high-dose aspirin. IVIG rapidly dampens the exaggerated immune response and substantially lowers the risk of coronary complications when given early in the illness. High-dose aspirin helps relieve inflammation and fever during the acute phase, and after fever subsides, low-dose aspirin provides an antiplatelet effect to reduce thrombosis risk in inflamed coronary vessels. Antibiotics alone won’t address the vascular inflammation, so they aren’t first-line. Steroids can be helpful in certain situations or as an adjunct, but they’re not typically the initial sole therapy. Anticoagulation therapy isn’t used as first-line treatment and is reserved for specific high-risk coronary artery situations.