Effects of statin therapy in children complicated with coronary arterial abnormality late after Kawasaki disease: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Ongoing low-grade inflammation and endothelial dysfunction persist in patients late after Kawasaki disease (KD). Statins not only reduce cholesterol, but also improve surrogate markers of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction, but their effects for children late after KD complicated with coronary arterial abnormality (CAA) has not been evaluated.


RESULTS
The 11 KD children complicated with CAA (mean age 12.9+/-2.5 years, mean interval from episode 10.77+/-3.01 years) and 11 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were studied. The KD group received oral simvastatin 10 mg/day for 3 months. Lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery were performed at baseline in both groups and 3 months later in the KD group. At baseline, the KD group had significantly higher hs-CRP level and decreased FMD than the control group. After 3 months' treatment, the KD group showed a significant reduction in the hs-CRP level and a significant increase in FMD.


CONCLUSIONS
In this small study, short-term statin therapy appeared to significantly improve chronic vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction with no adverse effects in children complicated by CAA late after KD. However, long-term and randomized studies are still needed to make further conclusions.
Huang
Shih-Ming
SM
Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Weng
Ken-Pen
KP
Chang
Jeng-Sheng
JS
Lee
Wei-Yang
WY
Huang
Shih-Hui
SH
Hsieh
Kai-Sheng
KS