The therapeutic window of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and its correlation with clinical outcomes in Kawasaki disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: The optimal therapeutic window to start intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for Kawasaki disease (KD) is highly debatable. We aimed to summarize the existing literature to evaluate the therapeutic window of IVIG treatment and its correlation with clinical outcomes in KD patients. Methods: We searched the databases from inception to August 26, 2022, without language restrictions. The primary outcomes were initial IVIG resistance and coronary artery lesions (CALs) in acute phase. Secondary outcome was CALs during 1–2 months of follow-up. Results: 27 studies involving 41,139 patients were included in this study. Very low-quality evidence showed that the earlier IVIG treatment within 4 days had a higher IVIG-resistance rate (RR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.50–2.15; P