1 The Division of Pediatric Cardiology and the Department of Public Health, The New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center, New York, New York, and the Division of Biostatistics, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York
Following personal interviews with 63 families of children with Kawasaki disease and with 63 control families with children paired for race, sex, and age, no epidemiologic differences were seen except for use of rug shampoo within 1 month of onset in 16 episodes in 15 children with Kawasaki disease in 14 families (24% of children, 22% of families) compared with two families of control children (3%, P < .005). Explanations for this strong association of recent rug shampoo and Kawasaki disease include the question of recall bias as well as the possibility that an agent in the shampooing process does cause or does contribute to illness.
Key Words: Kawasaki disease rug shampoo
Submitted on March 21, 1988
Accepted on June 20, 1988