The genetic basis of coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease / 国际儿科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis and its main life-threatening complications are coronary artery lesions(CAL), including coronary artery stenosis, thrombosis, aneurysm rupture, or sudden death. KD has now surpassed acute rheumatic fever as the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. Therefore, it is important to identify as early as possible KD patients who are at risk for the development of CAL and intervent them timely. Genetic factors are thought to have important influences on the development and progress of Kawasaki disease and its CAL. In previous reports, several genetic polymorphisms, such as VEGF, MMPs and CD14 gene, were associated with the development of CAL. This review will introduce the study of gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to CAL in children with KD recently.