Clinical Course and Outcomes in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction Due to Myocardial Infarction After Kawasaki Disease.

Abstract

Long-term outcomes of patients with left ventricular dysfunction after Kawasaki disease (KD) remain unknown. The clinical course of 37 patients (29 males 8 females) with left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) less than 45% after KD since 1978 was retrospectively investigated. Cardiac events in this study were defined as admissions because of heart failure, fatal ventricular arrhythmias, heart transplantation, and death. Their ages when evaluated ranged from 1 to 70years (median 35years). The onset of KD ranged from 2months to 20years (median 21months). All patients had bilateral coronary artery lesions, and multi-vessel occlusion occurred in 31 patients (84%). Previous myocardial infarction (MI) was found in 28 patients (76%). The interval from the onset of acute KD to the initial MI ranged from 15days to 25years (median 3months). Reperfusion therapy was successful in 6 patients (30%), and coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 23 patients (62%). Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia and fatal ventricular arrhythmias were detected in 11 patients and 22 patients, respectively. There were 15 deaths (41%). The 20-year and 50-year survival rates after KD were 84% (95% CI 67-92) and 54% (34-73), respectively (n = 37). The 30-year cardiac event-free rate after the detection of low LVEF was 42% (95% CI 27-59). The cutoff point of the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension for cardiac events was 65mm. Patients with low LVEF had fatal ventricular arrhythmias and a worsening of their ischemic cardiomyopathy after 30years of age and their outcomes were poor.