Access to Care and Therapy for Kawasaki Disease in the Arab Countries: A Kawasaki Disease Arab Initiative (Kawarabi) Multicenter Survey

Raed Alzyoud, Chief of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Divsion, Queen Rania Children's Hospital, Amman, Jordan.
Nermeen El-Kholy, Mirdif Private Hospital, Dubai, UAE.
Yousra Arab, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.
Nadine Choueiter, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
Ashraf S. Harahsheh, Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine & HealthSciences Cardiology, Washington, DC, USA.
Adnan Salem Aselan, Pediatric Cardiologist, Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital, King Salman Medical City, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia.
Alyaa Kotby, Pediatric Cardiology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Asma Bouaziz, Headmaster of Children and Neonatal Department, Hôpital Régional, Tunis, Tunisia.
Aso F. Salih, HD Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology Department, Children's Heart Hospital, Sulaimani College of Medicine, Sulaimani University, Sulaimani, Iraq.
Awatif Abushhaiwia, Pediatric Rheumatology Department, Tripoli Children's Hospital, Tripoli, Libya.
Fahad Alahmadi, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Pediatric Cardiology, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia.
Hala M. Agha, Pediatric Cardiology Division, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hala M. Elmarsafawy, Pediatric Cardiology Division, Children Hospital, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Hanifa Alrabte, Pediatric Cardiology Department, Tripoli Children's Hospital, Tripoli, Libya.
Hesham Al-Saloos, Division of Cardiology, Clinical Pediatrics, Sidra Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
Houda Boudiaf, Onco-Pediatric Department, University Hospital Mustapha Bacha, Algiers University, Algiers, Algeria.
Issa Hijazi, Cardiology Center, King Hussein Medical Center, Amman, Jordan.
Kenza Bouayed, Harouchi, Mother and Child Hospital, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
Khalfan Salim Al Senaidi, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat , Oman.
Lamia Boughammoura, Pediatric Department of Farhat Hached Hospital, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.
Maryam Jalal, Harouchi, Mother and Child Hospital, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
Mohamed S. Ladj, Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Djillali Belkhenchir University Hospital, Algiers University, Algiers, Algeria.
Mohammed E. Abu-Shukair, JO-PAIR CLINIC, Saudi Hospital, Amman, Jordan.
Mona M. ElGanzoury, Pediatric Cardiology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Nacera Hammadouche, Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Djillali Belkhenchir University Hospital, Algiers University, Algiers, Algeria.
Nora Elsamman, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatrics Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Pierre Mouawad, Pediatric Department, Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Rachida Boukari, Pediatric Department University Hospital, Mustapha Bacha, Algiers, Algeria.
Nassiba Benalikhoudja, Pediatric Department University Hospital, Mustapha Bacha, Algiers, Algeria.
Salima Jdour, Pediatric Cardiology Department, Tripoli Children's Hospital, Tripoli, Libya.
Sima Y. Abu Al-Saoud, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Makassed Hospital, Al- Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.
Soued Nabila Touri, Pediatric Department, University Hospital, Algiers, Algeria.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

5-1-2023

Journal

Pediatric cardiology

DOI

10.1007/s00246-023-03166-1

Keywords

Arab; Intravenous Immunoglobulins; Kawasaki Disease; Treatment

Abstract

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is still the most common acquired heart disease in children below the age of five years; it has been well described in the developed world; however, data from the Arab world are limited to case reports or single-center case series. In an effort of optimizing KD research in the Arab world, a group of physicians and researchers established the KD Arab Initiative (Kawarabi) in 2021, and published the first survey, which showed disparities in the availability of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG); this had prompted Kawarabi to assess the access to care and therapy of KD patients in Arab countries. A 32 structured questions survey was conducted in thirteen Arab countries and addressed KD patients' access to healthcare in urban and rural settings. The survey results showed that access to care was uniform across large, mid-size cities and rural areas in 7/13 (54%) countries, while in 6/13 (46%) countries, it was in favor of large and mid-size cities over rural areas. The quality of medical services received by children with KD in large cities was rated as excellent in 6/13 or good in 7/13 countries compared to fair in 4/13 or poor in 4/13 countries in rural areas. Availability of IVIG was limited (23%) in mid-size cities and almost impossible (23%) in rural areas. The KD patients in mid-size cities and rural areas have limited access to standard healthcare in the Arab world. This survey laid the foundation for future Kawarabi endeavors to improve the care of children with KD.

Department

Pediatrics

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