Variations in the Number of CCL3L1 Gene Copies and Kawasaki Disease in Korean Children

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy is the highly effective and standard treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD). However, ~20?% of KD patients have persistent fever or recurrence of fever after the initial IVIG treatment, which increases the risk for coronary artery lesions (CALs). Furthermore, the mechanism of IVIG resistance in KD patients still is unknown. The number of CC chemokine ligand 3-like 1 (CCL3L1) gene copies is reported to be associated with KD and IVIG resistance in Japanese patients. In addition, the authors observed significant upregulation of the CCL3L1 gene expression after in vitro immunoglobulin treatment in B cell lines derived from KD patients. Therefore, this study of 459?KD patients and 496 healthy control subjects tested whether the number of CCL3L1 gene copies is associated with a risk of KD, CALs, and/or IVIG resistance in Korean KD patients. However, the number of CCL3L1 gene copies was not associated with KD (P?=?0.18), CAL formation (P?=?0.062), or the IVIG resistance (P?=?0.90). Therefore, the results indicate that the number of CCL3L1 gene copies does not have a role in susceptibility to KD or CALs nor with IVIG resistance in Korean KD patients.     

川崎病患儿并发冠状动脉病变的危险因素分析

目的：探讨川崎病(KD)并发冠状动脉病变(CAL)的危险因素。方法：收集2006年1月至2012年1月间诊断为KD的527例患儿的临床资料,对15个可能与CAL发生有关的因素进行单因素和多因素logistic回归分析。结果：单因素分析显示,患儿年龄、性别、KD类型、大剂量丙种球蛋白（IVIG）治疗起始时间、对IVIG治疗的反应、使用糖皮质激素、发热持续时间及C反应蛋白等因素在合并和未合并CAL两组患儿中差异有统计学意义（P8岁、男性、非典型KD、IVIG治疗开始于发热后10 d 以上、对IVIG治疗无反应、发热持续时间>10 d为CAL发生的独立危险因素（OR分别为2.076、1.890、1.972、1.426、3.251、2.301、1.694,均P8岁）、男性、非典型KD、IVIG治疗起始时间较晚、对IVIG治疗无反应、发热持续时间较长是CAL发生的独立危险因素。     

Involvement of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to coronary artery lesions in Korean children with Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis of childhood that predominantly affects the coronary arteries. We investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) gene as risk factors for KD with coronary artery lesions (CALs) in Korean children. We genotyped two SNPs [rs7305115 (exon 7) and rs4290270 (exon 9)] using direct sequencing in 101 KD and 256 control subjects. To analyze the genetic data, SNPStats, SNPAnalyzer, and Helixtree programs were used. The genotype analysis of rs7305115 and rs4290270 showed no significant differences between KD and control groups. However, we found a statistically significant association between the two SNPs and the development of CALs in KD (p < 0.05). The minor homozygous genotype (rs7305115, AA genotype and rs42901270, AA genotype) of each SNP showed increased susceptibility to risk of CALs in KD patients. These results suggest that TPH2 may be associated with the development of KD with CALs in Korean children.     

Prediction of the Risk of Coronary Arterial Lesions in Kawasaki Disease by Brain Natriuretic Peptide

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis associated with the development of coronary arterial lesions (CALs) occurring in 3–5% of children treated by intravenous immune globulin (IVIG). However, a considerable number of patients who are not responding to IVIG are at much higher risk. Although studies have explored potential biomarkers to predict patients with KD who are at risk of CAL, no useful single marker exists. We hypothesized that the serum concentrations of the N-terminal moiety of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) can be useful to predict CAL. Forty-three children with KD (29 males and 14 females) were enrolled in this study. Despite IVIG, 6 of the 43 patients developed CAL. There were, however, no significant differences in variables between children with CAL and those without CAL: These include age, gender, day of the illness, leukocyte count, and the serum levels of sodium, C-reactive protein, and albumin. The serum NT-proBNP level was significantly higher in children with CAL than those without CAL (2,611 ± 1,699 vs. 1,073 ± 1,427 pg/ml; P = 0.03): the cutoff value of 1,000 pg/ml to predict CAL produced a specificity of 0.68, sensitivity of 0.83, and an odds ratio as high as 10.4. In conclusion, NT-proBNP is increased in KD patients who are developing CAL, and patients with an elevated serum NT-proBNP >1,000 pg/ml have a risk of CAL ~10 times higher than that of patients with a modest increase.     

儿童川崎病并发冠状动脉损害的危险因素分析

目的 探讨儿童川崎病(KD)并发冠状动脉损害(CAL)的危险因素。方法 回顾性分析895例KD患儿的病历资料,将其分为并发CAL 组(n=284)和未并发CAL 的对照组(n=611),比较两组临床及实验室指标,并对KD 患儿并发CAL的危险因素进行多因素logistic 回归分析。结果 男性、发生CAL 以外并发症、不典型KD、静脉注射丙种球蛋白(IVIG)抵抗、IVIG 治疗前发热时间>5 d、血清降钙素原(PCT)增高为KD患儿并发CAL 的独立危险因素(OR 值分别为1.712、2.028、3.655、2.912、1.350、1.068,均POR=0.931,P结论 男性KD患儿、不典型KD 患儿以及发生CAL 以外并发症、发热时间较长、IVIG 治疗抵抗的KD患儿并发CAL 的风险较高。血清PCT与ALB预测KD患儿并发CAL的价值不大。     

川崎病患儿FCGR2A基因单核苷酸多态性的研究

目的：探讨中国汉族儿童FCGR2A基因 rs1801274位点单核苷酸多态性（SNP）与川崎病（KD）易感性及静脉注射免疫球蛋白(IVIG)治疗KD疗效的关系。方法：应用聚合酶链反应（PCR）联合直接基因测序技术对35例KD患儿和25例健康儿童的FCGR2A基因SNP rs1801274位点进行检测和分析,并将KD患儿根据IVIG治疗后有无并发冠脉损害（CAL）分为CAL和无CAL（NCAL）两个亚组。结果：在研究对象中均检测到FCGR2A基因rs1801274位点,该位点存在3种基因型(AA、AG、GG)。该SNP位点的基因型分布及等位基因频率在KD组与对照组及CAL组与NCAL组之间比较差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。其中携带A等位基因或AA基因型者发生KD的危险性大(分别OR=3.39,95%CI:1.53~7.50;OR=4.93,95%CI：1.61~15.1);携带基因型AG或G等位基因使KD患儿发生CAL的危险性增高（分别OR=5.43,95%CI:1.06~27.8;OR=4.88,95%CI: 1.44~16.5）。结论：FCGR2A基因rs1801274位点SNP可能是影响中国汉族儿童KD易感性以及IVIG治疗KD疗效的一个重要因素。     

Coronary artery lesions of incomplete Kawasaki disease: a nationwide survey in Japan

Incomplete Kawasaki disease (KD) is associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment, which in turn can lead to the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs). The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological features of incomplete KD compared with complete KD and to identify risk factors for CALs from incomplete KD patients using data from a nationwide survey of 2007–2008 in Japan. A total of 23,263 patients were classified according to the number of principal clinical signs: 80% (n = 18,620) had complete forms of KD, 14.2% had four principal signs, 4.6% had three signs, and 1.2% had only one or two signs. In comparison with complete KD cases, the prevalence of CAL development tended to be larger and the proportion receiving initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment were significantly smaller in patients with incomplete forms. In addition, hospital attendance after 7 days of illness or later was significantly associated with CAL development in all incomplete groups (OR: 2.52 in total patients with incomplete KD, 3.26 in those with one or two principal signs, 2.94 in those with three signs, 2.35 in those with four signs). Conclusion The higher prevalence of CALs in incomplete KD reflects difficulties in diagnosis and delays in treatment. More timely diagnosis and treatment of incomplete KD patients could further prevent the development of cardiac lesions.     

Genetic analysis of MMP gene polymorphisms in patients with Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile disorder characterized by systemic vasculitis primarily occurring in coronary arteries. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been considered to play pathophysiologic roles in the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs); therefore, an evaluation of the genetic contributions of the MMP genes to the development of CALs in KD patients would be beneficial for the prediction of CAL formation. We focused on the known functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MMP genes (MMP-2-735C>T, MMP-3-1612 5A/6A, MMP-9-1562C>T, MMP-12-82A>G, and MMP-13-77A>G) and performed the association study between these SNPs and CAL formation in KD. The study population consisted of 44 KD patients with CALs and 92 without CALs and 175 healthy controls. As a result, allele and genotype frequencies of MMP-13-77A>G showed significant differences between KD patients with CALs and without CALs (p = 0.00989 and p = 0.00551, respectively). The estimated frequencies of the G-C haplotype in the MMP-13 gene promoter were significantly lower in KD patients with CALs than in those without CALs. There was no association between other MMP genes and CAL formation. In conclusion, the genetic evaluation by association study demonstrated that the MMP-13 gene, at least in part, contributed to the development of CALs in KD.     

Steroid Pulse Therapy for Children With Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy–Resistant Kawasaki Disease: A Prospective Study

Patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) who did not respond to the initial IVIG are known to have higher risk for developing coronary arterial lesions (CALs). Our aim is to clarify whether patients with initial IVIG resistant KD may benefit from methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) in comparison with re- treatment of IVIG (2nd IVIG). A total of 237 patients (median age: 2 years 2 months; range 1 months–10 years) with KD were initially treated with IVIG (2 g/kg). Among them, 41 patients (22 %) were assessed as IVIG resistance: these patients were allocated to either group A receiving MPT (n = 14) or group B receiving the 2nd IVIG (n = 27). Patients with resistant to the additional therapy (MPT or 2nd IVIG) were received second IVIG (group A) or MPT (group B). Changes in leukocyte count, C-reactive protein and albumin before and after an additional therapy were significantly greater in group A than those in group B. However, the prevalence of CALs did not differ between the groups (36 % in group A and 26 % in group B, p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the medical cost between the groups (median cost: 92,032 JPY in group A and 97,331 JPY in group B). MPT does not reduce the risk of development to CAL and does not seem to be beneficial as single agent therapy for IVIG resistant KD.     

State-of-the-art acute phase management of Kawasaki disease after 2017 scientific statement from the American Heart Association

Kawasaki disease (KD) has become the most common form of pediatric systemic vasculitis. Although patients with KD received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy, coronary arterial lesions (CALs) still occurred in 5%–10% of these patients during the acute stage. CALs may persist and even progress to stenosis or obstruction. Therefore, CALs following KD are currently the leading cause of acquired heart diseases in children. The etiology of CALs remains unknown despite more than four decades of research. Two unsolved problems are IVIG unresponsiveness and the diagnosis of incomplete KD. The two subgroups of KD patients with these problems have a high risk of CAL. In April 2017, the American Heart Association (AHA) updated the guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of KD. Compared with the previous KD guidelines published in 2004, the new guidelines provide solutions to the aforementioned two problems and emphasize risk stratification by using coronary artery Z score systems, as well as coronary severity–based management and long-term follow-up. Therefore, in this study, we merged the AHA Scientific Statement in 2017 with recent findings for Taiwanese KD patients to provide potential future care directions for Taiwanese patients with KD.     

Tricuspid Regurgitation in Acute Phase of Kawasaki Disease Associated With Intensive Care Unit Admission

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis and primarily affects children <5 years of age. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission is unusual, but there can be associated severe complications in KD patients. This study was conducted to identify risk factors for ICU admission. Retrospectively, we reviewed charts of all children who had a discharge diagnosis of KD from 2001 through 2009. Clinical presentation, laboratory data, and outcome were collected for analysis of the association with ICU admission in KD patients. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was used to identify factor interactions. There were 334 KD patients, including 24 patients in ICU admission, included in the analysis. Coronary artery lesions (CALs) and failure of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment were more frequently found in the ICU group (P < 0.0001). Total counts of white blood cells, hemoglobin levels, C-reactive protein, and albumin levels showed significant association with ICU admission (P < 0.05). Moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was found only in the ICU admission group. MDR analyses of factor interactions identified that TR interacted with CAL with a prediction accuracy of 77.78 %. (P = 0.001). Patients with KD who are IVIG resistant and/or who are found to have CALs are at increased risk for ICU admission. Most importantly, moderate TR was significantly found in KD patients only in the ICU group. This may highlight the great value of moderate TR in predicting ICU admission for patients with KD.     

Coding single-nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin-1 gene cluster are not associated with Kawasaki disease in the Korean population

This study aimed to examine whether coding single-nucleotide polymorphisms (cSNPs) of the interleukin-1 gene cluster [interleukin-1-alpha (IL1??), IL1??, IL-1-receptor antagonist (IL1RN)] are genetic markers of susceptibility to Kawasaki disease (KD) in the Korean population. The study enrolled 109 KD patients and 287 healthy control subjects. Four cSNPs [rs17561 (Ala114Ser) of IL1??, rs1143634 (Phe105Phe) of IL1??, and rs419598 (Ala23Ala) and rs315952 (Ser96Ser) of IL1RN] were genotyped using the restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) and direct sequencing. The KD patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of coronary artery lesions (CALs). For genetic analysis, SNPStats, HapAnalyzer, Helixtree, and SNPAnalyzer were used. The allele and genotype frequencies of the IL1 gene cluster polymorphisms in the KD patients had a pattern similar to that in the control subjects. Furthermore, no association was observed between four cSNPs of the IL1 gene cluster and the development of CALs in KD. These results suggest that the IL1 gene cluster may not be associated with susceptibility to KD and the development of CALs in the Korean population.     

TGFBR2基因多态性与川崎病和冠状动脉损伤相关性的研究

目的 检测儿童转化生长因子β受体2(TGFBR2)基因多态性(rs1495592)的分布情况,并探讨其与川崎病及冠状动脉损伤的相关性。方法 应用基因测序技术对35例川崎病患儿(14例并发冠脉损害)的TGFBR2基因多态性(rs1495592)进行研究,另取25例正常同龄儿作对照。结合测序结果分析此多态性与川崎病及冠状动脉损伤的相关性。结果 病例组中基因型分布和等位基因频率分布与对照组相比差异均无统计学意义(分别χ2=0.566、0.216,分别P=0.452、0.642)。冠状动脉损害组基因型分布(CC 21.4%,CT+TT 78.6%)与非冠状动脉损害组基因型分布(CC 61.9%,CT+TT 38.1%)差异有统计学意义(χ2=5.546,P=0.019),而两组等位基因频率分布差异无统计学意义(χ2=3.673,P=0.055)。结论 儿童中TGFBR2基因多态性(rs1495592)可能与川崎病的发生无相关性,但与川崎病患儿的冠脉损害发生相关。     

Promoter Polymorphism (rs3755724, -55C/T) of Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 4 (TIMP4) as a Risk Factor for Kawasaki Disease with Coronary Artery Lesions in a Korean Population

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile vasculitis that predominantly affects infants and young children. Tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) comprise a family of four members, of which TIMP4 is characterized by its restriction to cardiovascular structures. In KD pathophysiology, TIMP4 is considered to be involved in the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs). Therefore, this study investigated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the TIMP4 gene as risk factors for KD with CALs in Korean children. To observe this association, two SNPs (rs3755724, -55C/T, promoter; rs17035945, 3′-untranslated region) were genotyped in TIMP4 using direct sequencing. There were no SNPs in the coding region of TIMP4, and two SNPs were selected in the exon and promoter regions. This study recruited 250 control and 101 KD subjects. For data analysis, SNPStats, SNPAnalyzer, and Helixtree programs were used. These SNPs were not associated with KD. However, in the recessive model, a significant association was found between rs3755724 and the development of CALs in KD (P = 0.02; odds ratio, 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.11–0.85). The minor allele (C) of rs3755724 showed the susceptibility of CALs to risk in KD patients. These results suggest that TIMP4 is related to the development of KD with CALs in Korean children. Ju Yeon Ban and Kyung Leem Yoon—both authors contributed equally to this article.     

Single-nucleotide Polymorphism rs2290692 in the 3′UTR of ITPKC Associated With Susceptibility to Kawasaki Disease in a Han Chinese Population

Kawasaki disease (KD) is characterized by acute systemic vasculitis and frequently is complicated by coronary artery lesions (CALs). The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase C (ITPKC) gene rs28493229 was recently found to be associated with the risk for KD in the Japanese population, suggesting that the ITPKC gene may contribute to KD susceptibility. This study investigated the association of ITPKC polymorphisms with KD in a Han Chinese population. Five ITPKC Single-nucleotide polymorphisms, including rs28493229, were genotyped in 223 unrelated patients who had KD and 318 non-KD control subjects. The allele, genotype, and haplotype frequencies were compared between the patients and the control subjects, between the patients with and those without CALs, and between patients resistant to intravenous immunoglobulin treatment and those responsive to such treatment. Multiple alleles were observed for rs28493229 and rs2290692. No significant differences in the frequencies of the C allele, the CC genotype, or the C carriers of rs28493229 were observed in the comparisons. Interestingly, significantly higher frequencies of the C allele (p?相似文献   

BTNL2 gene polymorphisms may be associated with susceptibility to Kawasaki disease and formation of coronary artery lesions in Taiwanese children

The butyrophilin-like 2 (BTNL2) gene is a member of the B7 receptor family that probably functions as a T cell costimulatory molecule. Because altered T cell functions are implicated in dysregulation of the immune response seen in Kawasaki disease (KD), it is reasonable to speculate that BTNL2 gene is involved in the pathophysiology of KD. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms of the BTNL2 gene are associated with KD and the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs) in Taiwanese children. Nine-three patients with KD and 669 ethnically matched healthy controls were genotyped for BTNL2 gene rs1555115 C/G and rs2395158 A/G polymorphisms. The frequency of GG genotype of rs 1555115 was significantly higher in KD patients compared with controls (2.2% vs 0.2%, P = 0.012). The odds ratio for developing KD in individuals with rs 1555115 GG genotype was 14.7 (95% confidence interval, 2.04–105.5, P = 0.003) compared with individuals with rs 1555115 CG and CC genotypes. No significant difference was observed in the genotype and allelic frequencies of rs 2395158 polymorphism between KD patients and controls. However, the frequency of the G allele of rs 2395158 was significantly higher in KD patients with CALs than in those without CALs (P = 0.001). No significant difference was observed in the genotype and allelic frequencies of rs 1555115 polymorphism between KD patients with and without CALs. In conclusion, our results suggest that BTNL2 gene polymorphisms might be genetic markers of KD susceptibility and risk of coronary artery complication in Taiwanese children.     

Serum albumin level predicts initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment failure in Kawasaki disease

Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis primarily affecting children who are <5 years old. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the standard therapy for KD. However, many patients with KD still show poor response to initial IVIG treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for initial IVIG treatment failure in KD. Methods: Children who met KD diagnosis criteria and were admitted for IVIG treatment were retrospectively enrolled for analysis. Patients were divided into IVIG‐responsive and IVIG‐resistant groups. Initial laboratory data before IVIG treatment were collected for analysis. Results: A total of 131 patients were enrolled during the study period. At 48 h after completion of initial IVIG treatment, 20 patients (15.3%) had an elevated body temperature. Univariate analysis showed that patients who had initial findings of high neutrophil count, abnormal liver function, low serum albumin level (≤2.9 g/dL) and pericardial effusion were at risk for IVIG treatment failure. Multivariate analysis with a logistic regression procedure showed that serum albumin level was considered the independent predicting factor of IVIG resistance in patients with KD (p = 0.006, OR = 40, 95% CI: 52.8–562). There was no significant correlation between age, gender, fever duration before IVIG treatment, haemoglobin level, total leucocyte and platelet counts, C‐reactive protein level, or sterile pyuria and initial IVIG treatment failure. The specificity and sensitivity for prediction of IVIG treatment failure in this study were 96% and 34%, respectively. Conclusion: Pre‐IVIG treatment serum albumin levels are a useful predictor of IVIG resistance in patients with KD.     

基质金属蛋白酶9及组织抑制物1对预测和早期诊断川崎病冠状动脉病变的意义

目的探讨川崎病（Kawasaki disease,KD）血清基质金属蛋白酶9（matrix metallopmteinase-9,MMP-9）及其特异性组织抑制物1（tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1,TIMP-1）水平的动态变化在冠状动脉病变（coronary artery lesion,CAL）的预测和早期诊断中的临床价值。方法实验组KD合并CAL患儿15例,未合并CAL患儿44例,急性期静脉注射免疫球蛋白（intravenous immunoglobulin,IVIG）前后、亚急性期及恢复期各抽取1次外周静脉血,对照组为20例正常体检儿童。ELISA双抗体法测定血清MMP-9与TIMP-1含量。结果KD患儿急性期血清MMP-9含量、TIMP-1含量及MMP-9／TIMP-1均较正常对照组增高（P〈0、01）;IVIG干预后KD患儿血清MMP-9含量与MMP-9／TIMP-1比值降低（P〈0．01）;KD合并CAL患儿IVIG干预前血清MMP-9含量及血清MMP-9／TIMP-1比值高于无CAL患儿（P〈0．01）。结论川崎病冠状动脉病变患儿血清MMP-9含量与MMP-9／TIMP-1比值在急性期高于无冠状动脉病变患儿,提示MMP-9含量的急剧升高及与TIMP-1相互拮抗作用的失代偿可能是川崎病冠状动脉病变的高风险因素,动态监测血清MMP-9含量和（或）MMP-9／TIMP-1比值对预测和早期诊断川崎病合并冠脉病变具有重要的临床意义。     

2012至2016年单中心川崎病流行病学及临床特征研究

目的了解川崎病(KD)患病情况及临床特征,探讨KD冠状动脉损害(CAL)及IVIG耐药的危险因素。方法回顾性分析华中科技大学同济医学院附属同济医院2012年1月1日至2016年12月31日初诊的KD患儿的临床资料,比较分析KD治疗前后,典型和不完全KD,KD伴或不伴CAL,IVIG敏感或耐药的临床特征,分析CAL发生和IVIG耐药的危险因素。结果725例KD患儿进入本文分析,男∶女为1.61∶1,平均年龄（2.7±2.3）岁;不完全KD 206例（28.4%）,典型KD 519例;CAL 216例（29.8%）,IVIG耐药61例（8.4%）;治疗中仅使用阿司匹林者70例（9.6%）。KD伴CAL的危险因素为IVIG耐药（OR=5.138,95%CI：1.835~14.836）和氨基末端脑钠肽前体（NT-proBNP）≥1 000 pg·mL-1（OR=2.723,95%CI：1.110~6.679）。IVIG耐药的危险因素为出现CAL（OR=2.586,95%CI：1.067~6.271）。结论KD患病人数、CAL和IVIG耐药患儿有增加趋势。IVIG耐药和NT-proBNP≥1 000 pg·mL-1为KD伴CAL的危险因素,而发生CAL为IVIG耐药的危险因素。     

Clinical Relevance of the Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Inflammation in Kawasaki Disease

The objective of this study was to determine predictive factors in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) with which we could distinguish the patients with KD who are either at very low risk or at very high risk for coronary artery inflammation (i.e., either patients who do not need intravenous immunoglobulin treatment or patients in whom more aggressive or even experimental therapies should be considered). Prospectively collected demographic, clinical, and laboratory data on 344 patients treated for KD were correlated with the patients' echocardiographic findings. The parameters studied were age, sex, duration of the fever, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, platelet count, and serum albumin. These were examined both in bivariable comparisons and in multiple logistic regression models. Low serum albumin, age <1 year, and the duration of the fever prior to treatment were risk factors for coronary arteritis. In the multivariable models, their combined predictive value for coronary lesions was poor, especially when identifying the patients at a low risk for coronary artery lesions (CALs). In fact, 44 of 98 patients with CALs were falsely classified to the low-risk group. Ten of 14 patients younger than 1 year of age, who also had low serum albumin (<30 g/L), had echocardiographically verified CALs, and 7 (50%) had a definite coronary artery aneurysm. We could not distinguish a group at such a low risk that these patients could be left untreated. Young patients with low albumin run a very high risk for CALs.