• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.217-221
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether school-aged children with Kawasaki disease (KD) have an increased risk for early atherosclerosis. Methods: The study included 98 children. The children were divided into the following groups: group A (n=19), KD with coronary arterial lesions that persisted or regressed; group B (n=49), KD without coronary arterial lesions; and group C (n=30), healthy children. Anthropometric variables and the levels of biochemical markers, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A, apolipoprotein B, homocysteine, highsensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and brachial artery stiffness using pulse wave velocity were compared among the three groups. Results: There were no significant differences in blood pressure and body index among the three groups. Additionally, there was no sex-specific difference. Moreover, the levels of triglyceride, HDL-C, apolipoprotein A, and hs-CRP did not differ among the three groups. However, the levels of total cholesterol (P =0.018), LDL-C (P =0.0003), and apolipoprotein B (P =0.029) were significantly higher in group A than in group C. Further, the level of homocysteine and the aortic pulse wave velocity were significantly higher in groups A and B than in group C (P=0.0001). Conclusion: School-aged children after KD have high lipid profiles and arterial stiffness indicating an increased risk for early atherosclerosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.743-746
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• 2010

Coronary artery aneurysm is an uncommon disease. The optimal medical or surgical treatment for this disease remains obscure. The causes of coronary artery aneurysms include atherosclerosis, Kawasaki disease, infectious vascular disease, connective tissue disorder and congenital malformation. A 50 year old man visit our institution for chest pain that had started 3 days previously. After coronary angiography, multiple coronary aneurysms were diagnosed and successful surgical intervention was performed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.7
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• pp.298-302
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• 2016

Purpose: Recent reports showed that plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) could be a useful biomarker of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) unresponsiveness and coronary artery lesion (CAL) development in Kawasaki disease (KD). The levels of these peptides are critically influenced by age; hence, the normal range and upper limits for infants and children are different. We performed an age-adjusted analysis of plasma NT-proBNP level to validate its clinical use in the diagnosis of KD. Methods: The data of 131 patients with KD were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups-group I (high NT-proBNP group) and group II (normal NT-proBNP group)-comprising patients with NT-proBNP concentrations higher and lower than the 95th percentile of the reference value, respectively. We compared the laboratory data, responsiveness to IVIG, and the risk of CAL in both groups. Results: Group I showed significantly higher white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count, C-reactive protein level, aspartate aminotransferase level, and troponin-I level than group II (P<0.05). The risk of CAL was also significantly higher in group I (odds ratio, 5.78; P=0.012). IVIG unresponsiveness in group I was three times that in group II (odds ratio, 3.35; P= 0.005). Conclusion: Age-adjusted analysis of plasma NT-proBNP level could be helpful in predicting IVIG unresponsiveness and risk of CAL development in patients with KD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.251-255
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• 2009

Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic inflammatory disorder, the etiology of which has not yet been established. The clinical manifestations are non-specific and are common to many pediatric infectious and immunologic diseases. In 2 cases presenting fever, cervical lymphadenopathy, and retropharyngeal abscess-like lesions on the neck shown in a computerized tomography (CT) scan, the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease was delayed. The patients were not responsive to antibiotic therapy, and fluid collection was not found during retropharyngeal aspiration. They showed typical Kawasaki manifestations over time and atrioventricular valve regurgitation in the echocardiogram. A diagnosis of Kawasaki disease should be considered in similar cases of fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. A CT scan that shows a retropharyngeal abscess-like lesion on the neck can be a false positive finding, and other laboratory exams, including echocardiography, should be performed as early as possible to avoid unnecessary medical and surgical procedures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.80-90
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• 2016

Purpose: Studies have been conducted to identify predictive factors of resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for Kawasaki disease (KD). However, the results are conflicting. This study aimed to identify laboratory factors predictive of resistance to high-dose IVIG for KD by performing meta-analysis of available studies using statistical techniques. Methods: All relevant scientific publications from 2006 to 2014 were identified through PubMed searches. For studies in English on KD and IVIG resistance, predictive factors were included. A meta-analysis was performed that calculated the effect size of various laboratory parameters as predictive factors for IVIG-resistant KD. Results: Twelve studies comprising 2,745 patients were included. Meta-analysis demonstrated significant effect sizes for several laboratory parameters: polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) 0.698 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.469-0.926), C-reactive protein (CRP) 0.375 (95% CI, 0.086-0.663), pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) 0.561 (95% CI, 0.261-0.861), total bilirubin 0.859 (95% CI, 0.582-1.136), alanine aminotransferase (AST) 0.503 (95% CI, 0.313-0.693), aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) 0.436 (95% CI, 0.275-0.597), albumin 0.427 (95% CI, -0.657 to -0.198), and sodium 0.604 (95% CI, -0.839 to -0.370). Particularly, total bilirubin, PMN, sodium, pro-BNP, and AST, in descending numerical order, demonstrated more than a medium effect size. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, laboratory predictive factors for IVIG-resistant KD included higher total bilirubin, PMN, pro-BNP, AST, ALT, and CRP, and lower sodium and albumin. The presence of several of these predictive factors should alert clinicians to the increased likelihood that the patient may not respond adequately to initial IVIG therapy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.8
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• pp.328-334
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• 2016

Purpose: Although a significant number of reports on new therapeutic options for refractory Kawasaki disease (KD) such as steroid, infliximab, or repeated intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) are available, their effectiveness in reducing the prevalence of coronary artery lesions (CAL) remains controversial. This study aimed to define the clinical characteristics of patients with refractory KD and to assess the effects of adjuvant therapy on patient outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 38 refractory KD patients from January 2012 to March 2015. We divided these patients into 2 groups: group 1 received more than 3 IVIG administration+steroid therapy, (n=7, 18.4%), and group 2 patients were unresponsive to initial IVIG and required steroid therapy or second IVIG (n=31, 81.6%). We compared the clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and echocardiographic findings between the groups and examined the clinical utility of additional therapies in both groups. Results: A significant difference was found in the total duration of fever between the groups ($13.0{\pm}4.04days$ in group 1 vs. $8.87{\pm}2.30days$ in group 2; P=0.035). At the end of the follow-up, all cases in group 1 showed suppressed CAL. In group 2, coronary artery aneurysm occurred in 2 patients (6.4%). All the patients treated with intravenous corticosteroids without additional IVIG developed CALs including coronary artery aneurysms. Conclusion: No statistical difference was found in the development of CAL between the groups. Prospective, randomized, clinical studies are needed to elucidate the effects of adjunctive therapy in refractory KD patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.10
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• pp.408-413
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• 2016

Purpose: This study investigated predictors of unresponsiveness to second-line intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD). Methods: This was a single-center analysis of the medical records of 588 patients with KD who had been admitted to Asan Medical Center between 2006 and 2014. Related clinical and laboratory data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Eighty (13.6%) of the 588 patients with KD were unresponsive to the initial IVIG treatment and received a second dose. For these 80 patients, univariate analysis of the laboratory results obtained before administering the second-line IVIG treatment showed that white blood cell count, neutrophil percent, hemoglobin level, platelet count, serum protein level, albumin level, potassium level, and C-reactive protein level were significant predictors. The addition of methyl prednisolone to the second-line regimen was not associated with treatment response (odds ratio [OR], 0.871; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.216-3.512; P=0.846). Multivariate analysis revealed serum protein level to be the only predictor of unresponsiveness to the second-line treatment (OR, 0.160; 95% CI, 0.028-0.911; P=0.039). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine predictors of unresponsiveness to the second dose of IVIG showed a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 72% at a serum protein cutoff level of <7.15 g/dL. Conclusion: The serum protein level of the patient prior to the second dose of IVIG is a significant predictor of unresponsiveness. The addition of methyl prednisolone to the second-line regimen produces no treatment benefit.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.112-117
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• 2017

Purpose: The aims of this study were to compare serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels between febrile children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and those with bacterial or viral infections, and assess the clinical usefulness of PCT level in predicting KD. Methods: Serum PCT levels were examined in febrile pediatric patients admitted between August 2013 and August 2014. The patients were divided into 3 groups as follows: 49 with KD, 111 with viral infections, and 24 with bacterial infections. Results: The mean PCT level in the KD group was significantly lower than that in the bacterial infection group ($0.82{\pm}1.73ng/mL$ vs. $3.11{\pm}6.10ng/mL$, P=0.002) and insignificantly different from that in the viral infection group ($0.23{\pm}0.34ng/mL$, P=0.457). The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level in the KD group were significantly higher than those in the viral and bacterial infection groups (P<0.001 and P<0.001 for ESR, P<0.001 and P=0.005 for CRP, respectively). The proportion of patients in the KD group with PCT levels of >1.0 ng/mL was significantly higher in the nonresponders to the initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment than in the responders (36% vs. 8%, P=0.01). Conclusion: PCT levels may help to differentiate KD from bacterial infections. A combination of disease markers, including ESR, CRP, and PCT, may be useful for differentiating between KD and viral/bacterial infections.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 2017

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis that occurs predominantly in infants and young children. The etiology of KD is unknown and coronary heart disease is a major complication of KD. Acute scrotum is a rare complication of acute KD, and not as well recognized as other manifestations of the disease. We report a 2-month-old boy with acute scrotum in the acute phase of KD. He was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (total 2 g/kg) and aspirin (50 mg/kg/day). The treatment was effective in resolving his fever and other clinical symptoms, but 2 days after starting treatment he experienced scrotal swelling. Scrotal ultrasound and transillumination were used in the diagnosis of acute scrotum. After 2 months, a follow-up testicular ultrasound revealed a remission of the acute scrotum. Subsequently, he has been followed up for KD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.470-473
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective case-control study was to survey the detection rate of respiratory viruses in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) by using multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and to investigate the clinical implications of the prevalence of respiratory viruses during the acute phase of KD. Methods: RT-PCR assays were carried out to screen for the presence of respiratory syncytial virus A and B, adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza viruses 1 to 4, influenza virus A and B, metapneumovirus, bocavirus, coronavirus OC43/229E and NL63, and enterovirus in nasopharyngeal secretions of 55 KD patients and 78 control subjects. Results: Virus detection rates in KD patients and control subjects were 32.7% and 30.8%, respectively (P=0.811). However, there was no significant association between the presence of any of the 15 viruses and the incidence of KD. Comparisons between the 18 patients with positive RT-PCR results and the other 37 KD patients revealed no significant differences in terms of clinical findings (including the prevalence of incomplete presentation of the disease) and coronary artery diameter. Conclusion: A positive RT-PCR for currently epidemic respiratory viruses should not be used as an evidence against the diagnosis of KD. These viruses were not associated with the incomplete presentation of KD and coronary artery dilatation.