Tingle Sensations in face and hands

My daughter was diagnosed with Kawasaki when she was 2 years old. Now that my daughter is 22, she is now experiencing tingle sensations in her face and hands. Could this be a side affect after all these years?? She has had 2 episodes in the last year. She had S.O.B. and her hands curled. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Jeffrey R Boris, M.D.]

Dear Yogi Bear,

Kawasaki’s disease is an autoimmune disease that attacks the medium sized blood vessels, including the coronary arteries, as well as causing other signs of inflammation throughout the body.  The treatment of this is intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) and aspirin before day 10 after the onset of symptoms.  Lack of treatment can significantly increase the risk of aneurysm of the coronary arteries.  We do know that, even with appropriate treatment, the coronary arteries are not completely normal, even without aneurysm formation.  There has been some concern that these patients may develop premature coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis), although so far, we have not seen evidence of this in patients as old as their thirties.  We need to keep watching this, though, because the IVIG and aspirin therapy has only been around since the early 1980’s.  

I do not know the outcome of your daughter from her Kawasaki’s disease, but it sounds like these symptoms are not associated with coronary artery disease.  In fact, they do actually sound like hyperventilation syndrome.  I would recommend that she see her primary care provider and discuss this possibility further.