title: Pathogenetic determinants in Kawasaki disease: the haematological point of view.
abstract: Kawasaki disease is a multisystemic vasculitis that can result in coronary artery lesions. It predominantly affects young children and is characterized by prolonged fever, diffuse mucosal inflammation, indurative oedema of the hands and feet, a polymorphous skin rash and non-suppurative lymphadenopathy. Coronary artery involvement is the most important complication of Kawasaki disease and may cause significant coronary stenosis resulting in ischemic heart disease. The introduction of intravenous immunoglobulin decreases the incidence of coronary artery lesions to less than 5%. The etiopathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Several lines of evidence suggest that an interplay between a microbial infection and a genetic predisposition could take place in the development of the disease. In this review, we summarize the state of the art of pathogenetic mechanisms of Kawasaki disease underscoring the relevance of haematological features as a novel field of investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicine Evaluation, Section of Cell Aging and Gender Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Del Principe
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Section of Cell Aging and Gender Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pietraforte
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicine Evaluation, Section of Cell Aging and Gender Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucrezia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.affiliation: General Pediatric and Infectious Disease Unit, Internal Care Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.affiliation: General Pediatric and Infectious Disease Unit, Internal Care Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tarissi de Jacobis
authors.affiliation: General Pediatric and Infectious Disease Unit, Internal Care Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicine Evaluation, Section of Cell Aging and Gender Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Malorni
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicine Evaluation, Section of Cell Aging and Gender Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Straface
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Kawasaki disease; biomarkers; etiopathogenesis; genetics; haematological features; immunity; infection