Background: Whether low-risk Kawasaki disease (KD) patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to examine the arterial stiffness and exercise performance of KD patients in chronic stage.
Methods: This study included 158 subjects. They were divided into three groups: 37 KD patients with regressed coronary artery lesions (CALs) (M/F 23/14, 13.6 ± 6.5 years) (group I), 43 KD patients without CALs (M/F 26/17, 13.9 ± 6.2 years) (group II), and 78 age- and gender-matched normal controls (M/F 44/34, 13.2 ± 6.9 years) (group III). They all underwent brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), an exercise test, and blood sampling to measure the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and total cholesterol (TC). The differences among the groups were compared.
Results: There were significant differences among the three groups in terms of right and left baPWV (p < 0.01 respectively), HDL level (p < 0.05), TC/HDL ratio (p < 0.05), and oxygen consumption (VO2) peak (p < 0.05). Moreover, group I subjects had significantly higher right and left baPWV (p < 0.05 respectively), lower HDL level (p < 0.05), and lower VO2 peak (p < 0.05) than group II subjects. Furthermore, baPWV was significantly correlated with TG level (r = 0.326, p < 0.05), TC/HDL ratio (r = 0.483, p < 0.01), LDL level (r = 0.386, p < 0.01), and VO2 peak (r = -0.385, p < 0.05) in group I subjects. Only the TC/HDL ratio was found to be a significant correlating factor for an increase of baPWV (beta = 0.68, p < 0.05) in KD patients after multiple linear regression.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that arterial stiffness is present late after KD and may adversely affect exercise performance, especially in patients with regressed CALs. Regular measurement of baPWV may be indicated in the long-term follow-up of KD patients.