Risk factors related to cardiovascular complications in children diagnosed with kawasaki disease in northwestern mexico

Abstract

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis of small and medium vessels, which occurs primarily in children. Its clinical picture shows as a febrile syndrome combined with vasculitis that can cause coronary artery abnormalities in 25% of untreated patients. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical behavior and to identify risk factors for cardiovascular complications in pediatric patients with KD in the second level hospital in northwestern Mexico. Methods: Under a case series design, we studied pediatric patients with a diagnosis of KD. We measured clinical variables, laboratory values, and the presence of cardiac complications; the probability of risk was determined with an odds ratio (OR) and the association with the Chi-squared test. Results: A total of 12 patients were included in the study, in which the female gender predominated; the mean age of presentation of KD was 2 years. The clinical presentation was complete in 100% of the cases, and patients also presented atypical manifestations; 50% of the patients studied had cardiovascular complications, and the most common was the coronary disease (33%). The variables male gender, age under 2 years, and anemia reported OR of 5.5-10 for suffering cardiovascular complications. Conclusions: Cardiovascular complications of KD are frequent (> 30%). Male gender, age under 2 years, and anemia increase the risk of cardiovascular complications.