Nationwide survey of coronary aneurysms with diameter >6 mm in Kawasaki disease in Korea

Background: We investigated the course of coronary aneurysm with diameter >6 mm in Kawasaki disease (KD), as well as related therapeutic trends and prognosis in Korea. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was carried out in 77 hospitals, to investigate, retrospectively, patients with KD who had coronary aneurysms with a diameter >6 mm between 1990 and 2011. Results: The median age of onset was 3 years (range, 2 months-16 years) in a total of 239 patients. During the acute stage of KD, most patients received i.v. immunoglobulins and aspirin. In addition, 27 patients received steroid therapy. In the current study, the mean coronary aneurysm size was 8.7 ± 3.2 mm (range, 6-21 mm). Twenty-two patients underwent interventional catheterization. Procedures included percutaneous transluminal coronary balloon angioplasty (n = 10), stent placement (n = 9), and percutaneous transluminal coronary rotational ablation (n = 3). Fourteen patients underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Of the 239 patients who had coronary aneurysms with diameter >6 mm, 13 (5.4%) presented with findings suggestive of myocardial infarction. Five patients died during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Severe stenosis or occlusion of the coronary artery may occur in some patients who develop coronary aneurysms with diameter >6 mm; early management such as coronary interventions or surgery should be considered in such cases.