Intravenous immunoglobulin, pharmacogenomics, and Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology and it is therefore worth examining the multifactorial interaction of genes and environmental factors. Targeted genetic association and genome-wide association studies have helped to provide a better understanding of KD from infection to the immune-related response. Findings in the past decade have contributed to a major breakthrough in the genetics of KD, with the identification of several genomic regions linked to the pathogenesis of KD, including ITPKC , CD40, BLK , and FCGR2A . This review focuses on the factors associated with the genetic polymorphisms of KD and the pharmacogenomics of the response to treatment in patients with intravenous immunoglobulin resistance.