Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting for stenotic lesions after Kawasaki disease

Multimodal imaging for cardiac follow-up and management of giant coronary aneurysm related to Kawasaki disease in childhood: a case report

Background

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a rare paediatric condition that can lead to giant coronary aneurysms. Follow-up of such complex coronary lesions remains a challenge, and their management is difficult to standardize.

Case summary

Our present case concerns a 17-year-old boy who suffered a giant aneurysm of the left coronary artery, complicated by an asymptomatic stenosis. During regular follow-up, his annual cardiopulmonary exercise test revealed signs of ischaemia (ST depression and premature ventricular complexes). After several further stress tests with inconsistent results, he underwent invasive coronary angiography that revealed significant stenosis with a positive fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Discussion

We discuss the challenges of diagnosing and managing coronary artery stenosis in paediatric patients with KD, particularly in cases with calcified and thrombosed lesions. A multimodal approach is crucial, including non-invasive imaging, and coronary angiography with optical coherence tomography and FFR. The evaluation of the lesion and its follow-up is an important factor in anticipating the best therapeutic choice for each patient.

Acute myocardial infarction caused by Kawasaki disease requires more intensive therapy: Insights from the Japanese registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases-Diagnosis Procedure combination

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease (KD) induces coronary arteritis, which causes subsequent coronary aneurysms, and contributes to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the differences regarding real-world treatment selection and mortality between AMI-complicated KD and AMI due to typical atherosclerosis (AMI-non KD) are unknown.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to examine the current treatment strategy and prognosis of AMI-complicated KD compared with AMI due to typical atherosclerosis.

METHOD

We used data from 2012 to 2019 from a nationwide claim database, the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases-Diagnosis Procedure Combination.

RESULTS

Compared to the AMI-non KD patients (n = 70,227), the AMI-complicated KD patients (n = 73): (1) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) less often and more coronary artery bypass grafting, intracoronary thrombolysis or intravenous coronary thrombolysis more often; (2) underwent stentless PCI using old balloon angioplasty or rotablator, when they underwent PCI; and (3) needed in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intensive mechanical therapy such as intra-aortic balloon pump, percutaneous cardiopulmonary support or a respirator. Both the AMI-non KD and AMI-complicated KD patients had similar in-hospital mortality rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with AMI-non KD patients, AMI-complicated KD patients underwent non-PCI strategies such as bypass surgery or thrombolysis, and required intensive therapy with mechanical supports more often, but presented similar in-hospital mortality. When the AMI-complicated KD patients underwent PCI, stentless PCI using balloon angioplasty or rotablator was performed more often compared with the AMI-non KD patients.

Coronary Revascularization in Patients With Cardiac Sequelae of Kawasaki Disease at a Single Center

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a self-limited vasculitis that mainly affects infants and preschool-age children, characterized by coronary aneurysms and/or stenoses that may lead to the occurrence of ischemia, heart attack, and sudden death. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and surgical results of pediatric patients with KD and cardiac sequelae who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out. Patients with a diagnosis of KD and cardiac sequelae who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting from January 1, 2004, through March 31, 2021, were included: preoperative characteristics and conditions. Results: Ten patients were included, with a mean age of 6.4 ± 3.7 years; 80% males. Seven (70%) had the compromise of 2 coronary arteries, the most affected being the left anterior descendent artery (36.9%) with aneurysm and the right coronary artery (36.8%) with stenosis. 40% had preoperative moderate-to-severe ventricular dysfunction. The graft most frequently used was the right internal thoracic artery (47.6%), and the most frequent coronary bypass target vessel was the left anterior descending artery (38.1%). There was no early mortality or deaths during follow-up; 90% remained in functional class I. Among the cohort as a group, there was an overall improvement in postoperative ventricular function ( P = .03). This persisted, being unchanged at subsequent follow-up ( P = .95). Conclusions: Coronary artery bypass grafting is an appropriate treatment option for children with cardiac sequelae of KD, with excellent surgical results. Furthermore, this surgical procedure avoids the deterioration of left ventricular function in pediatric age.

Unusual interventional treatment of a complex calcified coronary artery lesion in a child with Kawasaki disease: a case report

Background

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a medium vessel vasculitis occurring in children, as yet of undetermined aetiology. KD can lead to severe complications such as coronary artery aneurysms, thrombosis, and sudden death. Monitoring of coronary anomalies is an important issue in the early phase of the disease, and their follow-up is based on different imaging methods. The interventional treatment of these coronary anomalies, which is often complex, is a therapeutic challenge.

Case summary

We are reporting the case of a four-year-old child who presented KD which was complicated by coronary aneurysm of the proximal left anterior descending artery and ectasia of the right coronary artery (RCA). These lesions progressively calcified and resulted at the age of 13 in chronic occlusion of the RCA. After confirmation of myocardial viability and myocardial ischaemia, a complex angioplasty guided by intracoronary imaging was performed using rotational atherectomy, a cutting balloon, and a high pressure balloon. The control coronary angiography performed 1 year later revealed two false aneurysm on the RCA at the angioplasty site, which were successfully treated with a covered stent.

Discussion

This case report describes the challenges of treating coronary artery abnormalities such as calcified coronary lesions in children with KD. The coronary intervention of these lesions remains complex and may lead to coronary rupture. We highlight the advantage of using intracoronary imaging in the management of these calcified lesions for successful revascularization, and to assess the complications of percutaneous coronary intervention.

A Rare but Real Necessity: Case Report of Coronary Artery Stenting in an Infant

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an extremely common and well-established procedure in adults which is rarely performed in children. We present a case of a successful left main coronary artery stenting in a small infant with a congenital coronary artery anomaly. We highlight the technical challenges of performing a PCI in a small patient, the risks of antithrombotic prophylaxis in this age group, and the importance of the combined work of the adult and pediatric interventional cardiologist.

Long-term clinical outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in young children with Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND

Although coronary artery bypass grafting is not frequently performed in children, Kawasaki disease is one of the most common indications for coronary artery bypass grafting in children. Here, we reviewed the long-term clinical outcomes including graft patency after coronary artery bypass grafting.

METHODS

Between March 2004 and March 2013, six patients with Kawasaki disease underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. All patients were male. Their median age was 13.0 years (interquartile range, 7.8-17.8 years) at the timing of coronary artery bypass grafting, and the median age at the onset of Kawasaki disease was 3.3 years (interquartile range, 1.0-7.0 years). Four patients presented with multiple lesions including aneurysms.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration was 12.1 years (interquartile range, 9.5-13.1 years), and there were no operative complications or overall mortality. One patient had pre-operative symptoms such as exertional chest pain and dyspnoea on exertion, whereas one patient had ventricular tachyarrhythmia. There was an improvement in subjective symptoms after surgery in two patients. The left internal thoracic artery, right internal thoracic artery, and saphenous vein were used in five (83.3%), one (16.7%), and two (33.3%) cases, respectively. In all six patients, post-operative single-photon emission CT findings showed improved perfusion compared with pre-operative single-photon emission CT. All grafts were patent as confirmed by coronary angiography or CT angiography.

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary artery bypass grafting could be a good surgical option in children with coronary lesions caused by Kawasaki disease in terms of graft patency and myocardial perfusion.

Drug-coated balloon angioplasty for coronary stenotic lesions in a paediatric patient after Kawasaki disease

Percutaneous coronary intervention for stenosis of coronary artery after Kawasaki disease presents various challenges. The diameters of reference vessels and femoral artery in children are smaller, and the morphological changes are different from adults. Herein, we describe our successful experience with a severe coronary artery stenosis at the proximal portion of left anterior descending treated with drug-coated balloon dilation.

Case Report: Interventional therapy for coronary artery occlusion in a 6-year-old child with Kawasaki disease

A 6-year-old girl was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease and bilateral giant coronary artery aneurysms at four months old and was subsequently referred to our hospital due to chest pain and T wave changes on electrocardiography. After admission, stress myocardial perfusion imaging showed reversible ischemia in multiple areas of the left ventricle. Coronary angiography revealed complete proximal segment occlusion of the left circumflex artery (LCX). The occluded LCX was recanalized by a Gaia 3rd micro-wire successfully passing through the occluded section to the distal end of the LCX, followed by sequential balloon dilation and drug-coated balloon angioplasty. Coronary angiography immediately after post-dilation and one-year follow-up angiography showed that the structure and blood flow of LCX was good. Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease is limited in practice, PCI remains one of the treatment options for selected patients.

A child case of Kawasaki with giant coronary aneurysm: percutaneous coronary intervention due to anterior myocardial infarction

Kawasaki disease is usually self-limited, but it can lead to aneurysm, stenosis, thrombosis, and myocardial infarction in the coronary arteries. The most important complication of Kawasaki disease is coronary artery aneurysm. Coronary artery aneurysm or ectasia may be seen in 15-25% of patients who do not receive treatment. It develops in 5% of children who receive intravenous immunoglobulin at the appropriate time. Acute myocardial infarction is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in Kawasaki patients with giant aneurysms. We present a 10-year-old girl who had a history of giant aneurysm in the coronary arteries and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention due to anterior myocardial infarction.

Surgical myocardial revascularization outcomes in Kawasaki disease: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic inflammatory condition occurring predominantly in children. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is performed in the presence of inflammation and aneurysms of the coronary arteries. The objectives of our study were to assess which CABG strategy provides better graft patency and early and long-term outcomes.

Methods

A systematic review using Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was performed in February 2020, incorporating a network meta-analysis, performed by random-effect model within a Bayesian framework, and pooled prevalence of adverse outcomes. Hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% credible intervals (CI) were calculated by Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.

Results

Among 581 published reports, 32 studies were selected, including 1,191 patients undergoing CABG for KD. Graft patency of internal thoracic arteries (ITAs), saphenous veins (SV), and other arteries (gastroepiploic artery and radial artery) was compared. ITAs demonstrated the best patency rates at long-term follow-up (HR 0.33, 95% CI: 0.17–0.66). Pooled prevalence of early mortality after CABG was 0.28% (95% CI: 0.00–0.73%, I² = 0%, tau² = 0), with 63/1,108 and 56/1,108 patients, undergoing interventional procedures and surgical re-interventions during follow-up, respectively. Pooled prevalence was 3.97% (95% CI: 1.91–6.02%, I² = 60%, tau² = 0.0008) for interventional procedures and 3.47% (95% CI: 2.26–4.68%, I² = 5%, tau² <0.0001) for surgical re-interventions. Patients treated with arterial, venous, and mixed (arterial plus second venous graft) CABG were compared to assess long-term mortality. Mixed CABG (HR 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00–0.30) and arterial CABG (HR 0.13, 95% CI: 0.00–1.78) showed reduced long-term mortality compared with venous CABG.

Conclusions

CABG in KD is a safe procedure. The use of arterial conduits provides better patency rates and lower mortality at long-term follow-up.

Acute coronary syndrome in a young woman with a giant coronary aneurysm and mitral valve prolapse: a case report and literature review

Acute coronary syndrome in the young population is infrequently seen and has a different etiology from that in the elderly population. Giant coronary artery aneurysms are rare and usually asymptomatic, but they can cause acute clinical symptoms such as chest pain or chest tightness. We herein describe a young woman with a history of mitral valve prolapse who developed sudden-onset chest pain. She had mild elevations of her creatine kinase and cardiac troponin levels; however, no ST segment alteration was found on an electrocardiogram, and no abnormal regional wall movement was noted on echocardiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with late gadolinium enhancement revealed a "mass" at the right coronary artery and linear subendocardial enhancement at the posterior wall. Coronary angiography later confirmed a giant coronary aneurysm with a substantial thrombus. The combined presence of the coronary artery aneurysm and mitral valve prolapse in this patient was likely a sequela of Kawasaki disease.

Cardiac arrest, chronic total occlusion, and occluded stent in a 16-year-old boy with Kawasaki disease: a case report

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease is the leading cause of premature coronary artery disease in developed countries. As such, patients may require revascularisation as children. However, there are no randomized data guiding treatment so this must be individualized. This case report describes the decision-making in a young patient requiring revascularization who had already suffered stent occlusion.

CASE SUMMARY

Our patient, a 16-year-old boy with Kawasaki disease, presented with cardiac arrest during exercise. Coronary angiography showed that a proximal left anterior descending artery stent implanted at the age of 8 years had occluded some time ago and his right coronary artery was also chronically occluded. He has discussed in several Heart Team meetings and with international colleagues and a consensus reached to revascularize him surgically.

DISCUSSION

It is vital that young patients with complex coronary disease are discussed in an extensive multidisciplinary setting to determine the most suitable means of treatment. The previously occluded stent was crucial in the individualized decision-making in this patient.

Incomplete Kawasaki disease complicated with acute abdomen: A case report

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis characterized by unknown etiology.

CASE SUMMARY

A 4.5-year-old boy developed an acute abdomen during the onset of incomplete KD. He still had persistent abdominal pain after undergoing exploratory laparotomy and appendectomy. Ultrasound examination at early onset revealed a giant coronary artery aneurysm. The patient developed a myocardial infarction and heart failure accompanied by respiratory and cardiac arrest. He underwent coronary artery revascularization and coronary artery bypass graft using an autologous internal mammary artery. After the operation, the cardiac output increased, and the symptoms of heart failure resolved. Follow-up evaluation at 1 mo after operation showed that the patient's cardiac function had restored to New York Heart Association standard Grade I heart failure, and normal growth was obtained.

CONCLUSION

Coronary artery revascularization and coronary artery bypass graft is an effective method for treating myocardial ischemia in children with KD complicated with giant coronary artery aneurysm . Nevertheless, some issues still need specific attention.

Incomplete Kawasaki disease complicated with acute abdomen: A case report

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis characterized by unknown etiology.

CASE SUMMARY

A 4.5-year-old boy developed an acute abdomen during the onset of incomplete KD. He still had persistent abdominal pain after undergoing exploratory laparotomy and appendectomy. Ultrasound examination at early onset revealed a giant coronary artery aneurysm. The patient developed a myocardial infarction and heart failure accompanied by respiratory and cardiac arrest. He underwent coronary artery revascularization and coronary artery bypass graft using an autologous internal mammary artery. After the operation, the cardiac output increased, and the symptoms of heart failure resolved. Follow-up evaluation at 1 mo after operation showed that the patient's cardiac function had restored to New York Heart Association standard Grade I heart failure, and normal growth was obtained.

CONCLUSION

Coronary artery revascularization and coronary artery bypass graft is an effective method for treating myocardial ischemia in children with KD complicated with giant coronary artery aneurysm . Nevertheless, some issues still need specific attention.

[Coronary Revascularization in Kawasaki's disease]

Kawasaki´s disease (KD) has surpassed rheumatic fever in many countries as the first cause of acquired heart disease in pediatric age, being the coronary aneurism its worst complication. We present a case of successful revascularization in a 5-year-old patient, with three-vessel coronary disease secondary to KD, who underwent a coronary bypass with anastomosis from the left internal mammary artery to the anterior descending artery, the right mammary artery to the marginal obtuse artery and the radial artery to the posterior descending artery. Close follow-up and choosing the right time to undergo surgery will prevent adverse events like permanent disability of the patient, ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias, global infarction and sudden death.

Lifetime cardiovascular management of patients with previous Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an inflammatory disorder of young children, associated with vasculitis of the coronary arteries with subsequent aneurysm formation in up to one-third of untreated patients. Those who develop aneurysms are at life-long risk of coronary thrombosis or the development of stenotic lesions, which may lead to myocardial ischaemia, infarction or death. The incidence of KD is increasing worldwide, and in more economically developed countries, KD is now the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children. However, many clinicians in the UK are unaware of the disorder and its long-term cardiac complications, potentially leading to late diagnosis, delayed treatment and poorer outcomes. Increasing numbers of patients who suffered KD in childhood are transitioning to the care of adult services where there is significantly less awareness and experience of the condition than in paediatric services. The aim of this document is to provide guidance on the long-term management of patients who have vascular complications of KD and guidance on the emergency management of acute coronary complications. Guidance on the management of acute KD is published elsewhere.

Cardiac Catheterization in Assessment and Treatment of Kawasaki Disease in Children and Adolescents

Cardiac catheterization has become a promising tool to assess and treat coronary artery lesions in patients with Kawasaki disease. Significant coronary artery lesions can now be treated via transcatheter route even in small children. Further development and miniaturization of this technology will help to promote widespread use to the benefit of small children suffering from coronary artery disease. The role of diagnostic and interventional coronary artery procedures in children and adolescents are discussed in this article.

Significance of Coronary Revascularization for Coronary-Artery Obstructive Lesions Due to Kawasaki Disease

As an acquired ischemic heart disease in childhood, coronary-artery disease caused by Kawasaki disease (KD) has been known worldwide since the mid-1970s. KD patients who develop coronary-artery obstructive disease often need revascularization some time in their life. Coronary-artery revascularization for KD coronary lesions can be done with the surgical coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. However, the characteristics of coronary-arterial lesions caused by KD significantly differ from atherosclerotic coronary disease in adults. Therefore, it is much more difficult to determine the optimal time and selection of a coronary-artery revascularization procedure for KD sequelae. CABG using the internal thoracic artery has been accepted as a very useful and beneficial procedure since the mid-1980s, even in small children. Although the use of PCI in the late period can be effective in some adolescent and adult patients, the small vessel size and severe coronary-artery calcification are often limiting factors for its use in children. Therefore, CABG is a better approach for severe leftanterior descending artery and multiple-vessel disease in children and adolescents with KD coronary sequelae. Good coronary revascularization can improve the long-term outcomes of patients with severe KD complications.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting with Arterial Grafts in Patients with Kawasaki Disease Affecting the Coronary Artery: a Korean Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to review the long-term clinical outcomes and graft patency of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using arterial grafts in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) affecting the coronary artery.

METHODS

Twenty patients with KD who underwent CABG from January 2002 to June 2014 were enrolled. There were 4 male (20%) and 16 female (80%) patients with ages at operation ranging from 2 to 42 years (median, 17.5 years). Our routine operative strategy was off-pump CABG with arterial grafts. The mean follow-up duration was 59.5 ± 48.5 months (range, 1-159 months). Coronary angiogram or computed tomography angiogram was used to evaluate graft patency in 16 patients (80%).

RESULTS

All patients survived CABG without late mortality. Left internal thoracic arteries were used in 19 patients, while right internal thoracic arteries were used in 10 patients. Right gastroepiploic arteries were used in 3 patients, and a saphenous vein graft (SVG) was used in 1 patient. Among the 20 patients, 2 patients underwent coronary reintervention with balloon angioplasty because of graft failure. Two patients underwent coronary reintervention because of new obstructive lesions that were not significant at the time of the initial operation. Patency rates at 5 and 10 years were 94% and 87%, respectively. The rate of freedom from coronary reintervention at 10 years was 82%.

CONCLUSION

Off-pump CABG with mainly arterial graft revascularization may be considered a good surgical option for coronary lesions caused by KD.

Long-Term Prognosis for Patients with Kawasaki Disease Complicated by Large Coronary Aneurysm (diameter ≥6 mm)

Background and Objectives

Some patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) develop large coronary aneurysms and subsequent coronary stenosis or obstruction, leading to ischemic heart disease. This study examined the long-term outcomes of patients with KD complicated by large coronary aneurysms.

Subjects and Methods

The medical records of 71 patients (53 men and 18 women) diagnosed with large coronary aneurysms (diameter ≥6 mm) between December 1986 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed from our institutional database.

Results

The mean age at onset was 4.6±3.3 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 12.5±6.9 years. Maximum coronary artery internal diameter ranged from 6.1 to 25 mm. Giant coronary aneurysms occurred in 48 patients and coronary aneurysms 6-8 mm in diameter developed in 23 patients. Coronary stenosis and/or complete occlusion occurred in 30 patients (42.3%). Catheter and/or surgical interventions (mean: 1.5 interventions, range: 1-5 interventions) were performed in 20 patients (28.2%), 9 months to 18 years after KD onset, resulting in 33.7% cumulative coronary intervention rates at 20 years after onset. There were no differences in cumulative coronary intervention rates between two coronary aneurysm groups (6-8 mm vs. ≥8 mm). Myocardial infarction occurred in 7 patients with a giant aneurysm and there was one death.

Conclusions

Long-term survival of patients with KD complicated by large coronary aneurysm was good even though 28.2% of patients underwent multiple catheter or surgical interventions. Careful follow-up is also necessary in KD patients with coronary aneurysms 6-8 mm in diameter, such as those with giant aneurysms.

Dissecting Kawasaki disease: a state-of-the-art review

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a pediatric vasculitis with coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) as its main complication. The diagnosis is based on the presence of persistent fever and clinical features including exanthema, lymphadenopathy, conjunctival injection, and changes to the mucosae and extremities. Although the etiology remains unknown, the current consensus is that it is likely caused by an (infectious) trigger initiating an abnormal immune response in genetically predisposed children. Treatment consists of high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and is directed at preventing the development of CAA. Unfortunately, 10-20% of all patients fail to respond to IVIG and these children need additional anti-inflammatory treatment. Coronary artery lesions are diagnosed by echocardiography in the acute and subacute phases. Both absolute arterial diameters and z-scores, adjusted for height and weight, are used as criteria for CAA. Close monitoring of CAA is important as ischemic symptoms or myocardial infarction due to thrombosis or stenosis can occur. These complications are most likely to arise in the largest, so-called giant CAA. Apart from the presence of CAA, it is unclear whether KD causes an increased cardiovascular risk due to the vasculitis itself.

CONCLUSION

Many aspects of KD remain unknown, although there is growing knowledge on the etiology, treatment, and development and classification of CAA. Since children with previous KD are entering adulthood, long-term follow-up is increasingly important. What is known: • Kawasaki disease (KD) is a pediatric vasculitis with coronary artery damage as its main complication. • Although KD approaches its 50th birthday since its first description, many aspects of the disease remain poorly understood. What is new: • In recent years, multiple genetic candidate pathways involved in KD have been identified, with recently promising information about the ITPKC pathway. • As increasing numbers of KD patients are reaching adulthood, increasing information is available about the long-term consequences of coronary artery damage and broader cardiovascular risk.

Postnatal Risk of Acquiring Kawasaki Disease: A Nationwide Birth Cohort Database Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the postnatal risk of Kawasaki disease and coronary complications from a nationwide birth cohort in Taiwan, a country with the third-highest incidence of Kawasaki disease worldwide.

STUDY DESIGN

We enrolled children born between 2000 and 2009 with complete postnatal medical care records for 2000-2014 in the Taiwan national database.

RESULTS

Out of a total of 2 150 590 live births, we identified 6690 (62.6% boys) patients with Kawasaki disease. The onset was mostly (93.9%) within the first 5 years of life (median, 16 months; 38% during infancy), but was rare within the first 3 months of life. The overall cumulative incidence of Kawasaki disease by age 5 years was 2.78‰ (3.33‰ for boys and 2.17‰ for girls; P < .001) and exhibited an increasing trend with birth year (from 2.28‰ for 2000 to 3.67‰ for 2009). The incidence ratio was 1.535 in boys and 1.055 in each increasing year. Kawasaki disease recurred more often in younger patients (cumulative incidence, 2.3% in infants vs 1.7% in children aged 1-4 years). Coronary complications occurred in 16.2% of the patients, including 4 cases of acute myocardial infarction (3 occuring during the acute stage and 1 occurring 5 years later). The probability of a major cardiac event (infarction, undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting, or death) by adolescence was 1.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

The postnatal risk of Kawasaki disease was 3‰-4‰ and increased with every birth year. Patients with Kawasaki disease are at substantial risk for a major cardiac events during childhood.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention after Kawasaki Disease: The Pediatric Canadian Series

Coronary artery (CA) aneurysms are serious complications of Kawasaki disease (KD) responsible for ischemic events. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are reported with limited data on indications and comparative efficacy. Retrospective multicenter comparison of CA intervention following KD is performed in this study. Twenty two cases were available from 5 centers, of whom 11 underwent CABG, 10 PCI and 1 systemic thrombolysis. Age at intervention (8.3 ± 3.9 vs 11.3 ± 4.9 years, p = 0.14) and interval from diagnosis (5.6 ± 4.1 vs 6.5 ± 4.7 years, p = 0.64) were similar between CABG and PCI. Interventions were based on angiography in 15 patients or cardiac event in 7, with no difference between CABG and PCI (p = 0.24). Patients with CABG were more likely to undergo multivessel intervention (73 vs 10 %, p = 0.006). None of the patients needed reintervention after CABG, compared to 6 after PCI and 1 after systemic thrombolysis (p = 0.004). Signs of ischemia on stress testing or MIBI were present in 15 patients before intervention and persisted in 9 patients following last intervention, in a significantly higher proportion after CABG than PCI (80 vs 17 %, p = 0.01). In this series, CABG, which mostly involved multivessel intervention, was superior to PCI. Nevertheless, larger-scale studies may help define patient selection criteria for a beneficial PCI approach.

Novel Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Techniques for Revascularizing Chronically Occluded Giant Coronary Aneurysms in a Patient with Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease is a self-limiting vasculitis presenting in childhood that can lead to aneurysms of the coronary arteries. Patients who develop giant coronary aneurysms have a high incidence of coronary stenoses and occlusions resulting in myocardial ischemia. The mainstay of treatment for these lesions is surgical bypass due to complex coronary anatomy and a high rate of chronic total occlusions precluding traditional percutaneous coronary intervention techniques. We report the first successful percutaneous revascularization of two chronically occluded giant coronary aneurysms using the Hybrid Interventional Strategy for approaching chronic total occlusions. Both antegrade and retrograde dissection-reentry techniques were employed to fully revascularize two major epicardial arteries. Despite procedural success, longer-term vessel patency was not maintained following stent deployment highlighting the difficulty in maintaining durable results with percutaneous coronary intervention in this patient population.

Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease is an acute, self-limited vasculitis of unknown etiology that occurs predominantly in infants and children. If not treated early with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin, 1 in 5 children develop coronary artery aneurysms; this risk is reduced 5-fold if intravenous immunoglobulin is administered within 10 days of fever onset. Coronary artery aneurysms evolve dynamically over time, usually reaching a peak dimension by 6 weeks after illness onset. Almost all the morbidity and mortality occur in patients with giant aneurysms. Risk of myocardial infarction from coronary artery thrombosis is greatest in the first 2 years after illness onset. However, stenosis and occlusion progress over years. Indeed, Kawasaki disease is no longer a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome presenting in young adults. Both coronary artery bypass surgery and percutaneous intervention have been used to treat Kawasaki disease patients who develop myocardial ischemia as a consequence of coronary artery aneurysms and stenosis.

Pediatric Coronary Artery Revascularization Surgery: Development and Effects on Survival, Cardiac Events and Graft Patency for Children With Kawasaki Disease Coronary Involvements

Pediatric coronary artery bypass surgery gained wide acceptance with the introduction of internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) for bypass operations for post Kawasaki disease (KD) lesions. The technique is now established as the standard surgical choice, and its safety even in infancy, graft patency, growth potential, graft longevity and clinical efficacy have been well documented. In this article the author reviews the development of pediatric coronary bypass as the main indication for the treatment of coronary lesions due to KD. I believe that coronary revascularization surgery in pediatric population utilizing uni- or bilateral ITAs is the current gold-standard as the most reliable treatment, although percutaneous coronary intervention with or without a stent has been tried with vague long-term results in children.

Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting for cardiogenic shock due to left main coronary artery obstruction caused by Kawasaki disease in a 4-year-old boy

We describe the case of a 4-year-old boy whose clinical course after Kawasaki disease resulted in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causing cardiogenic shock. He had developed an ischemic cardiomyopathy due to severe localized stenosis of the left main coronary artery (LCA) and went into cardiogenic shock due to AMI on the day before a scheduled operation. He underwent successful emergency CABG within 4 h of MI. Postoperatively his neurological status was intact. This is the first report of a successful emergency CABG in a small child with cardiogenic shock due to LCA occlusion. CABG should be undertaken in small patients when appropriate indications exist, if bodyweight is >10 kg.

A survey of the 3-decade outcome for patients with giant aneurysms caused by Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND

Our purpose was to determine the outcome in patients with a more-than-20-year history of giant coronary aneurysms (GAs) caused by Kawasaki disease (KD).

METHODS

Between 2010 and 2011, the incidence and outcome of cardiac events (CEs) in patients with GA was surveyed by questionnaire by the Kinki area Society of KD research. Death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary catheter intervention, syncope, and ventricular tachycardia were considered as CEs. Survival rate and CE-free rate were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

We enrolled 245 patients (187 were male, 58 were female), 141 with bilateral GA and 104 with unilateral GA. The interval between the onset of acute KD to the time of survey ranged from 0.2 to 51 years, and the median was 20 years. Death, AMI, and CABG occurred in 15 (6%), 57 (23%), and 90 patients (37%), respectively. The CE-free rate and the survival rate at 30 years after KD were 36% (95% CI 28-45) and 90% (95% CI 84-94), respectively. The 30-year survival rate for bilateral GA was 87% (95% CI 78-93), and for unilateral GA, it was 96% (95% CI 85-96; hazard ratio 4.60, 95% CI 1.27-29.4, P = .027). The 30-year survival rate in patients with AMI was 49% (95% CI 27-71), and the 25-year survival rate in patients undergoing CABG was 92% (95% CI 81-98).

CONCLUSIONS

The outcome differed significantly between bilateral GA and unilateral GA. The results focus attention on the need to preserve myocardial perfusion, especially in high-risk patients with bilateral GA. An understanding of the optimal CABG would be useful in bilateral GA.

[Anesthesia for coronary revascularization in patients with Kawasaki disease: case report]

Kawasaki disease is a self-limited vasculitis that occurs predominantly in infants and young children, that is characterized by coronary artery lesions (especially aneurysms). It is one of the leading causes of acquired heart disease in children. The etiology of Kawasaki disease still remains unknown. A hypothesis is that an infectious agent produces clinically apparent disease only in certain genetically predisposed individuals. It also is possible that the disease results from an immunologic response and is triggered by different microbial agents. For unknown reason it dominates in Asians. Treatment is directed to prevent coronary thrombosis and reduce inflammation; it is based on high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin and acetyl salicylic acid, which significantly reduce the risk of coronary artery aneurysms from 25 to 4%. In order to reduce myocardial ischemia, percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft can be used. There is a lot of information about surgical techniques for coronary artery complications linked to Kawasaki disease, but minimal information about anesthetic techniques; for this reason, we describe the anesthetic management of a patient who required coronary artery bypass graft, and we present a literature review on the topic.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in pediatric and adolescent patients

OBJECTIVE

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is commonly used in adult patients with coronary artery disease, but data on PCI in children and adolescents remain limited. Herein, we describe our experience with the use of PCI in pediatric and adolescent patients.

DESIGN

This is a retrospective review.

SETTING

The study was conducted at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

PATIENTS

All patients ≤18 years old who underwent PCI from 2004 to 2012 were included.

INTERVENTIONS

Intravascular ultrasound and balloon angioplasty were performed in all patients, with subsequent stent placement in 6/7 (86%) procedures.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Residual postintervention stenosis, early procedural morbidity and mortality were the outcome measures.

RESULTS

Overall, seven unique PCI procedures were performed in five patients (four males, mean age 13.2 ± 3.8 years, range 8-18 years). Mean follow-up interval was 2 (0.6-5.5) years. Indications for the procedures included transplant coronary vasculopathy (n = 1), coronary dissection (n = 1), and acute coronary thrombosis/myocardial infarction (n = 1). Additionally, there were two patients (n = 2) who experienced coronary compression as a sequelae of prior heart surgery. Intravascular ultrasound and balloon angioplasty were performed in all patients, with subsequent stent placement in 6/7 (86%) procedures. A total of eight stents were placed (average stent diameter 3 ± 0.5 mm), including six (75%) drug-eluting stents. The targeted coronary artery lesions were successfully treated in all seven procedures. There was no early procedural morbidity or mortality. Two patients were noted to have angiographic evidence of in-stent restenosis at 3 and 15 months postdeployment, respectively, despite treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel.

CONCLUSION

PCI in children and adolescents can be utilized to improve coronary blood flow in a variety of clinical situations. It may be particularly effective in cases of postsurgical coronary compression. Close angiographic follow-up is critical as these patients are at risk for in-stent restenosis.

Cardiac surgical procedures for the coronary sequelae of Kawasaki disease

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to make an evaluation on the clinical features of patients with Kawasaki disease who require a cardiac surgical procedure including coronary artery bypass grafting, coronary arterial aneurysmorrhaphy or heart transplantation.

METHODS

English literature of Kawasaki disease for cardiac surgery (1990-2011) was retrieved in the Pubmed database. The clinical features of the patient setting from the representative articles were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Patients with Kawasaki disease were very young, with some requiring a cardiac surgical procedure at a very early age. The interval between the onset and the surgical operation was 9.5±9.4 years. The prevalence of myocardial infarction and re-infarction was high. Giant aneurysm, critical stenosis with calcification and thrombus formation of the coronary arteries often warrant coronary artery bypass, heart transplantation or coronary arterial aneurysm plication. The left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery was the most commonly used graft in coronary artery bypass. Graft patency rate was 82.4% at 21.4±32.3 (range 0.1-252) month follow-up. The early and late mortalities of this patient setting were 0.6 and 3.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with Kawasaki disease may develop coronary artery lesions prone to aneurysmal formation with calcification and thrombus and may require coronary artery bypass at a very early age. With the left internal mammary artery as the first choice of bypass graft, the long-term patency and patient survival was satisfactory.

Stent implantation for a totally occluded right coronary artery in a six-year-old boy after Kawasaki disease: a case report

Introduction

Coronary stenting has previously been considered to be less feasible in children under 12 years old due to the limitation of vascular access. We report the case of a six-year-old boy who successfully underwent stent implantation for his totally occluded right coronary artery.

Case presentation

A Taiwanese boy aged six years and nine months old was found to have giant aneurysms after an acute episode of Kawasaki disease. An angiography revealed that his middle right coronary artery was totally occluded. A 0.014-inch guidewire was advanced to cross the totally occluded site. After pre-dilating the middle portion of his right coronary artery with a 1.5 mm balloon, stenting of his right coronary artery was accomplished using a 2.5 × 28 mm and a 2.5 × 18 mm bare metal stent. A final angiography demonstrated no residual stenosis or dissection.

Conclusion

Coronary stenting could be a therapeutic option for children as young as six years old. Close follow-up is mandatory because the long-term outcome is still unclear, especially in a small child.

Prevalence and the Long-term Coronary Risks of Patients With Kawasaki Disease in a General Population <40 Years

Background—

Patients with Kawasaki disease (kDa) may develop coronary arterial lesions and subsequent coronary events. The first reported case in Taiwan was in 1976, and the annual incidence from 2003 to 2006 was 69/100 000 children < 5 years. A population study from Taiwan, a country with a high incidence of kDa, national health insurance, and easily accessible medical care, would adequately reflect the long-term risk.

Methods and Results—

We retrieved the data of kDa patients from a national health insurance 2000 to 2010 database of Taiwan, a country with a child health index similar to those in the United States. The occurrence of coronary complications and interventions was identified by the respective International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes. The prevalence of kDa in the population < 40 years was 34.9/100 000 (male/female ratio, 1.47). Coronary complications occurred in 1254 patients (5.37%; male/female ratio, 2.19), with an average annual risk of 2.4% (2.7% for males and 2.0% for females). An acute myocardial infarction occurred in 19 patients (0.08%; 18 males and 1 female), of whom one third were aged between 10 and 15 years (median, 15.7 years; range, 0.7–36.7 years). A coronary intervention was performed by catheterization in 18 patients (all males) at a median age of 24.5 years and by surgery in 10 patients (male/female ratio, 4.0) at a median age of 21.7 years, with mortality at discharge being 0% and 25%, respectively.

Conclusions—

This study estimated the overall prevalence of kDa (≈1/2940) in a population < 40 years. They, particularly the males, carry long-term coronary risks from a young age. Risk stratification for a timely coronary intervention and risk modification are mandatory.

Right ventricle myocardial perfusion scintigraphy: feasibility and expected values in children

Stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy imaging (SMPSI) has important applications for evaluating coronary disease and ventricular function. Studies consistently focus on the left ventricle (LV), with no normal right ventricle (RV) data available. This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of RV perfusion with technetium (Tc-99m) sestamibi using a low radiotracer dose for children free of coronary artery (CA) anomalies and to determine its normal pattern. Patients with a history of Kawasaki disease who showed no coronary complications on selective angiography or no LV perfusion defects on SMPSI were studied at rest and during an exercise challenge. The RV uptake counts were compared with those for different segments of the LV, and multiple ratios of the uptakes between RV and LV segments were calculated. The study subjects were 23 children (age, 11.1 ± 3.3 years) imaged with 0.12 ± 0.03 mCi/kg at rest and 0.31 ± 0.06 mCi/kg during stress. The RV to LV uptake proportion was approximately 6%. Exercise-related uptake increased threefold in both the RV and the LV. The findings showed RV myocardial scintigraphy to be feasible with reproducible ratios. Potential clinical applications include acquired and congenital CA anomalies such as Kawasaki disease, right CA ostium stenosis after a switch operation, and anomalous origin of the right CA.

Comparison study of echocardiography and dual-source CT in diagnosis of coronary artery aneurysm due to Kawasaki disease: coronary artery disease

The identification of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) in the acute and chronic phase of the disease is of prime importance for assessing the likelihood of acute lesions and cardiovascular sequelae. Occasionally, recognition of distal coronary artery has been proven challenging by traditional echocardiography. Our purpose was to evaluate the clinical application of two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) for detecting CAA caused by Kawasaki disease (KD) and compare with dual-source computed tomography (DSCT). A total of 24 patients with known KD and CAAs were studied by two imaging modalities, i.e., 2DE and DSCT; that is to say, the number, position, shape, and size of each CAA and its association with thrombus, were detected first from echocardiography and then compared with those obtained from DSCT performed on the same day. Meanwhile the diameters of all coronary segments were measured for each patient. Giant aneurysms (GAs) were detected in 5 patients, small and medium coronary aneurysms were identified in 19 patients. The 2DE and DSCT have the same results of proximal coronary artery, whereas conclusion of our comparison of coronary artery visualization indicated that DSCT provided more explicit distal coronary artery than 2DE. A mural thrombus could be clearly delineated in the GAs by DSCT. The 2DE has been demonstrated to be an accurate technique to quantify CAAs in KD. However, DSCT is superior to 2DE for distal coronary artery visualization. Therefore, a combination of echocardiography and DSCT can offer an overview of coronary artery anatomy.

Increased production of vascular endothelial growth factor-d and lymphangiogenesis in acute Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND

Kawasaki disease (KD) is characterized by systemic vasculitis with tissue edema. During the healing process of inflammation, lymphangiogenesis is essential for reducing tissue edema. One potential responsible candidate for the induction of lymphangiogenesis in the healing process of acute KD is vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Sequential changes in serum VEGF-D levels in patients with acute KD (n = 47) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were investigated. Cross-sectional areas of lymphatic vessels and VEGF-D protein expression were evaluated immunohistochemically in cardiac tissues of patients (n = 6) who died of KD. Regulation of VEGF-D messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in cultured fibroblasts was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Serum VEGF-D levels increased after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with acute KD (P < 0.001). In addition, they were significantly lower in patients with coronary artery lesions (CAL) than in those without CAL (P < 0.05). The cross-sectional areas of lymphatic vessels in cardiac tissues were enlarged in patients with acute KD. VEGF-D protein was detected on the endothelium of the enlarged lymphatic vessels. In vitro, tumor necrosis factor- significantly down-regulated VEGF-D mRNA expression in cultured fibroblasts (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that the production of VEGF-D increases and is related to lymphangiogenesis in patients with acute KD. In addition, low VEGF-D production appears to be associated with the development of CAL.

Catheter interventions for kawasaki disease: current concepts and future directions

During the past 15 years, clinical experience with catheter interventional treatment in patients with Kawasaki disease, including balloon angioplasty, stent implantation, rotational ablation, and transluminal coronary revascularization, has been gradually increasing. Because the coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease involve severe calcifications, the indications or catheter intervention techniques have not been established for adult patients with Kawasaki disease. Satisfactory acute results for coronary balloon angioplasty have been obtained in patients with a relatively short interval from the onset of disease, especially within 6 years; however, the incidence of restenosis after angioplasty is still high. Rotational ablation may be the most appropriate catheter intervention technique for patients with Kawasaki disease. The advantage of rotational ablation is the high success rate, even in patients with calcified coronary artery stenosis. Stent implantation requires larger arterial access and is not possible in younger children. Care should be paid to the detection of newly-formed aneurysms, as the formation of new aneurysms is associated with the use of additional balloon angioplasty using high pressure balloon inflation. Anticoagulation or anti-platelet regimens are essential for long-term management. Coronary intervention in Kawasaki disease requires special techniques and knowledge of cardiovascular involvement. The procedure should be managed under the close collaboration between pediatric cardiologists and coronary interventional cardiologists.