Susceptibility for coronary artery aneurysis in kawasaki disease

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The most important complication of Kawasaki disease is the development of coronary artery aneurysms. Although it seems clear that the intense perivascular inflammation that often accompanies Kawasaki disease is important, it is less clear whether there are factors that may make some children more susceptible than others. In this issue of The Journal, Furuno et al report on a study that evaluated DNA microarray data in patients with Kawasaki disease. They found that tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 was expressed at higher levels in patients with Kawasaki disease and coronary artery lesions than those without. Thus, overexpression and the promoter polymorphisms of this gene may play a role in susceptibility to develop coronary lesions in Kawasaki disease.