[Risk factors for coronary artery lesions secondary to Kawasaki disease in children]

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Cardiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Kawasaki disease (KD) is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children.
• Coronary artery lesions (CAL) are a significant complication of KD, potentially leading to long-term cardiovascular issues.
• Identifying risk factors for CAL is crucial for timely intervention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the risk factors associated with the development of coronary artery lesions (CAL) in children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical data from 895 children with KD.
• Classification into CAL and control groups based on the presence of coronary artery lesions.
• Comparison of clinical and laboratory indices between groups.
• Multiple logistic regression analysis to identify independent risk factors for CAL.

Main Results:

• Male gender, atypical KD presentations, presence of non-CAL complications, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance, fever duration exceeding 5 days before IVIG, and elevated serum procalcitonin (PCT) were identified as independent risk factors for CAL.
• Increased serum albumin (Alb) levels demonstrated a protective effect against CAL.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated limited predictive value for serum PCT and Alb in predicting CAL.

Conclusions:

• Male sex, atypical KD, co-occurring complications, prolonged fever, and IVIG resistance are associated with a higher risk of developing CAL in children with KD.
• Serum PCT and Alb levels have minimal utility in predicting CAL development in this population.