Serum Lp-PLA2 Level Predicting Coronary Artery Lesions in Children with Kawasaki Disease

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an inflammatory disease associated with coronary vasculitis in children. In this study, we explored the correlation between Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and coronary artery lesions (CAL) in children with KD. Methods: Ninety-three children with KD were divided into a normal coronary artery (NCA, 54 cases) group and coronary artery lesions (CAL, 39 cases) group, according to the results of echocardiography. Another 42 healthy children were selected as the control group. The serumal levels of Lp-PLA2, Interferon-γ(IFN-γ) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level were analyzed. The left main coronary artery (LMCA), diameters of left anterior descending coronary artery (LADC), right proximal coronary artery (PRCA), and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were obtained by color Doppler ultrasound. The correlation between the above indexes and KD was analyzed. Results: The levels of white blood cell counts (WBC), ESR, CRP, IFN-γ, IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 as well as IMT were significantly increased in KD children (P < 0.05), and the levels of CRP, IFN-γ, IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 as well as IMT in the CAL group increased more significantly (P < 0.05). An increasing trend also has been described in the diameters of LMCA, LADC and PRCA for KD children with CAL compared with with NCA. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the elevated levels of CRP, IFN-γ, IL-6 and Lp-PLA2 were independent risk factors for KD with CAL. Correlation analysis showed that Lp-PLA2 level was positively correlated with the levels of IFN-γ, IL-6 and CRP in CAL group and NCA group (respectively, all P < 0.01). In addition, a similar correlation was also described between Lp-PLA2 level and the diameters of LMCA, LADC and PRCA in CAL group (respectively, all P < 0.01). Conclusion: Lp-PLA2 may participate in the pathological mechanism of KD. Detection of the serum Lp-PLA2 level can be used in the diagnosis of KD disease and the assessment of coronary artery lesions in KD children.