For a study, it was determined that Kawasaki disease (KD) had a proclivity to involve coronary arteries, which resulted in a variety of long-term cardiovascular complications. Children with KD were at risk for early atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, and lipid abnormalities in addition to coronary artery abnormalities. Even in children who had adequate therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin during the acute period, some of these developed problems. In 2009, researchers looked at the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and lipid profile of 27 children with KD who had been sick for at least a year. The same cohort of 27 children was followed up on for at least 5 years following the acute episode of KD in the current investigation. They assessed the cohort’s cIMT, a surrogate marker for early atherosclerosis, as well as their fasting lipid profile, and compared the results to those from prior research.

In comparison to control participants, children with KD had considerably greater mean cIMT. At 1 and 5 years of follow-up, however, there was no significant difference in cIMT among the children in the cohort. In the current investigation, aberrant lipid profiles were found in 7 of the 27 children, 5 of whom exhibited lipid abnormalities at the 1-year follow-up. This indicates that lipid abnormalities in KD may persist for a long time.

Even if they do not have overt and chronic coronary artery anomalies, children with KD require long-term monitoring. It’s probable that the effects of KD on children’s health will have an impact on the health of young people several years later.

Reference:journals.lww.com/jclinrheum/Abstract/2018/10000/Carotid_Intima_Media_Thickness_and_Lipid_Profile.11.aspx

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