Abnormal Diastolic Function after Kawasaki Disease: A Radionuclide Assessment

Abstract

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness of unknown etiology that is characterized by a generalized microvasculitis that can result in coronary artery aneurysms. Coronary aneurysms are reported to occur in up to 25% of patients, and mortality in this disease is related to complications of these aneurysms [1, 2]. Systolic ventricular dysfunction secondary to coronary aneurysms and/or stenosis in KD has been reported. However, the great majority of patients usually have a normal electrocardiogram (ECG) and/or two_vdimensional echocardiograms (2-D echo). In adults with coronary disease, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been found to be a more sensitive indicator of myocardial abnormalities than systolic parameters [3]. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate systolic and diastolic ventricular function in children post-KD by means of radionuclide techniques.