L. Withofs

Successful treatment of intrauterine supraventricular tachycardia and hydrops fetalis with digoxin

ECG tracings. H L A type was A 1/10, B 8. Additional clinical and laboratory data are detailed in Fig. 1. An E E G obtained during a febrile episode showed non-specific abnormalities which disappeared within 10 days. The child was irritable and temporarily somnolent but recovered within 2 weeks. Colonoscopy was repeated and again showed swelling, redness and bleeding of the mucous membranes. Allergy skin tests were performed 2 months later. No reactions to penicillin, salazosulphapyridine and phenazone were observed. Though the concurrence of ulcerative colitis and Kawasaki syndrome may be coincidental, the question of common pathogenetic factors arises. In particular, we think of abnormal immune reactions which may play an important role in both conditions. Thus circulating immune complexes have been found in 30%-50% of patients with the Kawasaki syndrome [3]. During the active stage of the disease, complement levels are depressed and inversely correlated to the severity of its manifestations. On the other hand, Kawasaki-like lesions have been produced in animals exposed to acetaminophen and Pseudomonas bacteria [1, 2]. We would be interested to learn of a similar association in other patients, which would support our suspicion that the pathogenesis of both conditions is related.