Clinical manifestations of coronary aneurysms in the adult as possible sequelae of Kawasaki disease during infancy

Abstract

Coronary artery aneurysms are rare findings usually diagnosed incidentally at necropsy or at angiography in patients with symptoms of myocardial ischaemia. Even if atherosclerosis is a common cause of coronary aneurysms in the adult, other acquired diseases with inflammatory pathogenesis are associated with coronary artery aneurysms.

We present three cases of patients with low probability of coronary artery atherosclerotic disease, due to their age, risk factors profile and history, complaining of chest pain suggestive of myocardial ischaemia and angiographic documentation of one or more coronary aneurysms. In all cases, although no patient had had a previous diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD), an unexplained febrile syndrome had occurred in childhood, which is compatible with misdiagnosed episode of KD causing the aneurysmatic lesions.The present reports highlight the potential clinical relevance of previously misdiagnosed KD in patients with ischaemic chest pain, low probability of atherosclerosis and coronary aneurysms.

Key Words:

• aneurysm
• coronary artery disease
• Kawasaki disease