Common carotid artery intima-media thickness is useful for diagnosis of the acute stage of Kawasaki disease

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid arteries in children with acute Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: Between 2009 and 2011, patients fulfilling the criteria for KD, including a fever lasting >5 days, were prospectively enrolled in this study. Laboratory data, echocardiography, and IMT were measured and compared with matched controls. RESULTS: A total of 70 common carotid IMTs were measured in 35 children. We studied 21 patients aged 3–60 months old with acute KD and 14 febrile patients aged 3–194 months old with acute infection and similar characteristics to those of KD patients. Children with KD had a significantly higher IMT compared with the controls (0.550 ± 0.081 mm vs. 0.483 ± 0.046 mm, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: IMT during the acute stage of KD is increased, suggesting that IMT could be a useful diagnostic tool in the early diagnosis of KD.