Background: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle brachial index (ABI) are a useful method to estimate atherosclerosis in adults, while a history of Kawasaki disease (KD) may be a risk factor for later atherosclerosis of systemic arteries. PWV and ABI in patients with a history of KD have not been reported.
Method: In total, 90 patients ranging in age from 4 to 25 years who had a history of KD previously, any time from 1 month to 19 years ago, were studied. As a control group, 119 patients with other trivial cardiovascular diseases such as a small ventricular, an atrial septal defect or mild arrhythmias, were also evaluated. A high value of PWV was determined as >/=120% of normal predicted value of PWV, while a low value of ABI was determined as </=0.9. Age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, ABI and PWV by t-test, and univariate and multivariate analyses of a logistic-regression model, were analyzed.
Results: When a cut-off point was set as per cent of normal predicted PWV (%N PWV) >/= 120%, and ABI </= 0.9, patients with a history of KD had a higher PWV than the control group, while there was no significant difference in the ABI between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the PWV or the ABI between the KD patients with or without coronary aneurysms.
Conclusion: Patients with a history of KD may have increased aortic stiffness for their age.