A comparative study to assess vascular health in previously diagnosed patients of kawasaki disease

Background: Kawasaki disease, the commonest cause of multisystem vasculitis in children, was believed initially as a one-time disease. Long-term follow-up reveals that endothelial dysfunction persists in post-Kawasaki disease patients with and without coronary lesions and predisposes to atherosclerosis. Aims and Objectives: To establish the endothelial dysfunction and to correlate it with premature atherosclerosis in Kawasaki disease patients. Settings and Design: Prospective comparative study. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients of Kawasaki disease (age, 6 months to 20 years) were compared to the age matched control population and evaluated 2 times (1st F/U and 2nd F/U) at an interval of 6 months. USG Doppler was used to measure intimal thickness of carotid arteries CAD-IT, flow character and Resistive Index of anterior ATA-RI and posterior tibial arteries PTA-RI. Echocardiography was used to detect perivascular hyperintensity, dilatation and aneurysm of coronary arteries. Ongoing inflammation was documented by C- reactive protein (CRP) level. Coronary involvement (dilatation, small, medium, giant CAA) was determined by the z-scores adjusted to patients' body surface area (BSA) (AHA guidelines 2017). Statistical analysis used: Mean, paired t-test, GEE model, Odds ratio. Results: Significantly elevated CRP levels were observed in both the 1st follow up (p=0.0005) and 2nd follow up (p=0.000001) compared to control value. A significant rise (p