Long-term Incidence of Kawasaki Disease in a North American Community: A Population-Based Study

Coronary Arteries Lesions in Kawasaki Disease: Risk Factors in an Italian Cohort

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis of medium arteries, particularly involving coronary arteries. Coronary artery lesions (CALs) is the most serious complication in the acute stage, potentially leading to ischemic cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction and sudden death. Environmental factors and genetic background contribute to individual susceptibility to develop CALs. The aim of this study was to define the risk factors for CALs in an Italian cohort. Methods: Data of KD patients from 10 Italian sites were registered into a REDCap database where demographic and clinical data, laboratory findings and coronary status were recorded. KD was diagnosed according to AHA definition. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to identify independent risk factors for CALs. Results: A total of 517 patients were enrolled, mainly Caucasians (83.6%). Presentation was complete in 321 patients (62.8%) and IVIG responsiveness in 360 (70%). CALs developed in 136/517 (26.31%). Gender, age, ethnicity, clinical presentation, fever duration, non-coronary cardiac events, Hb, albumin and CRP were significantly different between patients with and without CALs, while seasonality was not. Male gender, age < 18 months, Asian ethnicity, incomplete presentation and fever > 10 days were independent risk factors for CALs. Conclusions: Age younger than 18 months, incomplete KD and longer fever duration are risk factors for CALs. Asian ethnicity also represents a risk factor in our Italian Cohort.

Prevalence of antecedent Kawasaki disease in young adults with suspected acute coronary syndrome in high incidence cohort

Background

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in early adulthood (<40 years old) may be associated with unrevealed diagnoses of Kawasaki disease (KD) in childhood. Daniels et al. showed that 5% of young adults with acute coronary syndrome might have antecedent Kawasaki disease in a cohort with Kawasaki disease incidence rates ranging from about 9 to 20 per 100,000 children under 5 years of age. However, there is no relevant research from the cohort with higher incidence rates (>80-100 per 100,000 children under 5 years of age) of Kawasaki disease.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study by reviewing medical records and angiographic data from two institutions (middle and southern Taiwan, respectively) of adults <40 years of age who underwent coronary angiography for clinically suspected acute coronary syndrome (2009-2019). Angiographic images were independently analyzed by three cardiologists who were blinded to the medical records. Demographic and laboratory data and risk factors of coronary artery disease were integrated to assess the likelihood of antecedent KD.

Results

All 323 young adults underwent coronary angiography, and 27 had coronary aneurysms. The patients' clinical and angiographic characteristics were evaluated, and 7.4% had aneurysms likely to be associated with KD. Most subjects were male (23/24), and their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly higher (p = 0.028) than those of subjects unlikely to have KD.

Conclusion

This study proposed that the cohort with higher Kawasaki disease incidence rates may have a higher prevalence of young adult ACS associated with antecedent KD. The importance of determining the clinical therapeutic significance of antecedent Kawasaki disease in young adult ACS warrants advanced research. Higher LDL levels may have a long-term cardiovascular impact in KD patients with persistent coronary aneurysms.

Autoptic Findings in Cases of Sudden Death Due to Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the second-most-common childhood vasculitis, and its etiology is still unknown today. Even though the acute illness is usually self-limiting, sometimes, it can generate complications, such as coronary artery aneurysms (CAA), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, or arrhythmias, and can rarely cause sudden or unexpected deaths. We present a review of the literature, which collects autoptic and histopathological data relating to many of the cases of these deaths. On the basis of the titles and abstracts, we selected 54 scientific publications for a total of 117 cases. Among them, as expected, the majority of the deaths were due to AMI (41.03%), arrhythmia (8.55%), acute coronary syndrome (8.55%), and CAA rupture (11.97%), involving mostly 20-year-olds or younger individuls (69.23%). This is not surprising since the CAs are the most involved arteries. Gross autoptic and histopathological findings are reported in the paper. Our work revealed that, when compared with the incidence of KD, only a few cases suffered from sudden death, underwent an autoptic examination, and were then described in the literature. We suggest that researchers should perform autopsies to gain a better understanding of the molecular pathways involved in KD so as to propose further innovative therapeutic protocols or implement more appropriate prevention schemes.

Trends and Resource Utilization in Kawasaki Disease Hospitalizations in the United States, 2008-2017

OBJECTIVES

To explore trends in hospitalization rate, resource use, and outcomes of Kawasaki Disease (KD) in children in the United States from 2008 to 2017.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, serial cross-sectional analysis of pediatric hospitalizations with International Classification of Disease diagnostic codes for KD in the National Inpatient Sample. Hospitalization rates per 100 000 populations were calculated and stratified by age group, gender, race, and US census region. Prevalence of coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) were expressed as proportions of KD hospitalizations. Resource use was defined in terms of length of stay and hospital cost. Cochran-Armitage and Jonckheere-Terpstra trend tests were used for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. P <.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 43 028 pediatric hospitalizations identified with KD, yielding an overall hospitalization rate of 5.5 per 100 000 children. The overall KD hospitalization rate remained stable over the study period (P = .18). Although KD hospitalization rates differed by age group, gender, race, and census region, a significant increase was observed among Native Americans (P = .048). Rates of CAA among KD hospitalization increased from 2.4% to 6.8% (P = .04). Length of stay remained stable at 2 to 3 days, but inflation-adjusted hospital cost increased from $6819 in 2008 to $10 061 in 2017 (Ptrend < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalization-associated costs and rates of CAA diagnostic codes among KD hospitalizations increased, despite a stable KD hospitalization rate between 2008 and 2017. These findings warrant further investigation and confirmation with databases with granular clinical information.