Low tissue plasminogen activator relative to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 as a marker of cardiac complication in children with Kawasaki disease

To determine whether the fibrinolytic system is related to the occurrence of cardiac complication in Kawasaki disease, we measured tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and related factors in the plasma of children with Kawasaki disease. Patients (mean age, 1.8 years) were classified into patients with cardiac complication (n = 9) and no complication (n = 14) groups echocardiographically. They underwent single, high-dose, intravenous gamma -globulin infusion therapy. Blood was drawn just before and the day after the single high-dose intravenous gamma -globulin infusion therapy (acute phase), and at early and late convalescent phases. Leukocytosis was normalized immediately after the single, high-dose, intravenous gamma -globulin infusion therapy. C-reactive protein and fibrinogen were increased in the acute phase and normalized by convalescent phases. D-dimer fraction of fibrin degradation products changed in a similar manner. Tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were increased in acute phase. The tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 ratio was lower in the complication group than in the no complication group throughout the observation period (0.095 versus 0.208 after single, high-dose, intravenous gamma -globulin infusion therapy, p = 0.006; 0.094 versus 0.183 at late convalescent phase, p = 0.024). A low tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 ratio can predict the propensity for cardiac complication, and can help the physician to decide whether additional therapies are necessary in acute phase Kawasaki disease.