ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to investigate the usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP) assay as a biochemical marker of cardiovascular manifestations in children with Kawasaki disease(KD). METHODS: Blood was obtained to measure and compare plasma BNP concentrations in the acute phases of typical KD(n=56), atypical KD(n=25), viral febrile disease(n=30), Henoch-Shonlein purpura(n=20) and in the subacute phase of typical KD. Plasma BNP concentrations were measured using a commercial kit, Triage(R) BNP test kit. RESULTS: The mean BNP concentration in the acute phase of KD was significantly higher than in the acute phase of atypical KD, viral febrile disease and Henoch-Shonlein purpura(198.7+/-49.6 vs 55.9+/-10.4, 27.0+/-5.7, 13.7+/-3.1 pg/mL, P<0.001). In KD patients, the mean BNP concentration in the subacute phase was decreased significantly after the treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and high-dose aspirin(78.0+/-23.5 pg/mL, P<0.001). The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve using BNP level to differentiate KD from viral febrile disease was high: 0.826(95% CI, 0.735 to 0.918, P<0.001). A best cutoff of BNP concentrations for the differential diagnosis of Kawasaki disease was determined to be 30.8 pg/mL(sensitivity 76.8%, specificity 76.7%). CONCLUSION: This study shows the possibility that the rapid BNP assay is useful to detect cardiovascular manifestations associated with KD. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism by which the elevated levels of plasma BNP occur in the acute phase of KD.