Factors relating to the cardiac sequelae of Kawasaki disease one month after initial onset

This study aimed to determine the risk factors related to the presence of cardiac sequelae 1 mo after initial onset and to examine the preventive effect of the early administration of high-dose gamma-globulin (GG) on cardiac sequelae in patients with Kawasaki disease. Patients treated with high-dose GG of 2000+/-100 mg kg(-1) were selected as subjects from the 15th nation-wide survey in Japan. Univariate and logistic multiple variable analyses were used to test the effects of background variables such as age and gender, variables relating to laboratory findings such as the percentage of neutrophil leucocytes, and variables relating to the GG treatment on the presence of cardiac sequelae. The odds ratios were significantly higher for males (1.48), those younger than 1 y of age (1.71), recurrent cases (2.42), and those with a low haematocrit (<32.5%) (1.45) and high percentage of neutrophil leucocytes (>68%) (1.63). The odds ratio was low for those who started GG administration in less than 6 d from onset between the patients with and without cardiac sequelae. The odds ratio for the duration of GG treatment was not significantly different between those with and without cardiac sequelae. Conclusion: Patients who received early administration of GG, less than 6 d from onset of the disease, had a lower risk than those received GG more than 6 d from the onset. The percentage of neutrophil leucocytes and the haematocrit level are useful indicators in predicting the development of cardiac sequelae.