[Cardiac involvement in Kawasaki disease]

Cardiovascular complications (CVC) of Kawasaki disease (KD) are described in 15 affected children (10 boys, mean age 18.5 months). Clinical records, electrocardiographic tracings (ECG) and bidimensional echocardiograms (BDE) were analysed. In each case the first BDE was done at clinical diagnosis (mean time 10 days from initial symptoms of disease), then at weekly intervals for the first month and each two weeks along the second month. In children showing persistent coronary artery lesions (CAL) BDE was repeated monthly and in patients without CVC at three month intervals. During follow up, no definite clinical evidence of miocardial ischemia was found, but abnormal BDE recordings were obtained from 12/15 patient: CAL in 9/15; right ventricular, left ventricular and aortic enlargement in 3/15. CAL were located at the left coronary artery (LCA) in 3/9 (one LCA aneurysm) and at both coronary arteries in 6/9 (including 3 cases with bilateral aneurysms). All patients were given aspirin and seven were also treated with intravenous gammaglobulin, this last at day 9 (mean) of disease, but 5 of them developed CVC, including 3 cases of CAL.