Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
Long-term prognosis of Kawasaki disease: increased cardiovascular risk?
1Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. oraora@nms.ac.jp
Insights
Kawasaki disease survivors may face long-term cardiovascular risks due to persistent endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis risk factors. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm the prognosis for these patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis of unknown etiology.
- Effective treatment has reduced acute coronary artery lesions from 25-30% to 3-5%.
- Long-term cardiovascular sequelae in KD survivors are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current knowledge on the long-term prognosis of Kawasaki disease patients.
- To assess the potential cardiovascular risks in KD survivors into adulthood.
Main Methods:
- Review of histopathological studies.
- Analysis of late-phase findings in KD patients.
- Examination of animal models of post-arteritis vascular changes.
Main Results:
- KD-associated vascular changes are distinct from atherosclerosis.
- Endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis risk factors (dyslipidemia, decreased elasticity, inflammation) are present in late-phase KD.
- Animal models show increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis in post-arteritis coronary arteries.
Conclusions:
- Kawasaki disease survivors may have an increased risk of future cardiovascular events.
- Longitudinal epidemiological studies with large cohorts are required to establish the long-term prognosis.
Purpose Of Review:
Whereas the cause of Kawasaki disease is still unknown, progress in treatment during its acute phase has decreased the incidence of coronary artery lesions from 25-30% to 3-5%. In addition to acute-phase coronary disturbances, sclerotic vascular changes are often observed in post-Kawasaki disease patients, including those without coronary lesions during the acute phase. Survivors of Kawasaki disease are now reaching the age of atherosclerosis and it is unknown if these individuals carry a higher risk of coronary disease. This review aims to report the current state of knowledge concerning the long-term prognosis of patients with Kawasaki disease.
Recent Findings:
Histopathological studies prove the changes of Kawasaki disease to be distinctive from those of atherosclerosis. However, endothelial dysfunction and risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis, such as dyslipidemia, decreased vascular elasticity, increased C-reactive protein, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and reactive oxygen species, are known to be present in the late phase of Kawasaki disease. In addition, postarteritis coronary arteries in animal models are more prone to the development of atherosclerotic changes.
Summary:
Potential cardiovascular risks are present in survivors of Kawasaki disease. Epidemiological studies enrolling a large cohort of Kawasaki disease patients surviving to middle age are awaited.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
01:29Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
01:21Myocarditis I: Introduction
01:30Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
01:20Rheumatic Heart Disease IV: Nursing Management
01:22Myocarditis IV: Nursing Management