Alopecia Areata During the Convalescent Phase of Kawasaki Disease

In 2021, a case study was conducted on a 4-year-old boy who developed alopecia areata during the convalescent phase of Kawasaki disease (KD). KD is a medium-vessel vasculitis affecting young children and has been associated with autoimmune disorders. The child initially presented with high-grade fever, generalized rash, and other symptoms indicative of KD. After treatment, he became afebrile within 24 hours and was discharged. However, he returned 4 weeks later with patchy hair loss, a condition known as alopecia areata. Common causes for this condition were ruled out, and it was concluded that the alopecia was secondary to KD. The hair loss resolved within 2 months. The study suggested that alopecia areata, an autoimmune-related condition, could be helpful in understanding the underlying autoimmune etiopathogenesis of KD.