CHANGES IN PLASMA-LEVELS OF LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEIN COMPOSITION IN PATIENTS WITH KAWASAKI-DISEASE

Studies on the response of plasma lipids and lipoproteins to Kawasaki disease are scarce so far. The purpose of this study was to investigat e the changes in plasma levels of lipids and apolipoproteins as well a s the composition of different lipoproteins in patients during the acu te and convalescence phases of Kawasaki disease. The results showed th at during the acute phase, the concentrations of plasma high density l ipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and A-Il (ap oA-II) were significantly reduced. While the reduction of HDL-choleste rol was mainly related to the lowering of esterified and unesterified cholesterols in HDL(2) during the acute stage of Kawasaki disease, mos t of which recovered during the subsequent convalescence phase. The pl asma concentration of triglycerides was 46% higher in patients during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease than in the control subjects, whic h may be ascribed to the increase of triglycerides in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotien (LDL) and HDL(2). The var iables studied above did not appear to be independent parameters. The level of plasma apoA-I showed a stronger negative association with tri glyceride concentration (r = - 0.22) than apoA-II (r = - 0.11) and HDL -cholesterol (r = - 0.07). Furthermore, the levels of cholesterol, apo A-I and apoA-II in HDL(2), but not in HDL(3), were inversely correlate d with the levels of triglyceride. We conclude that the temporary chan ges of lipid levels associated with Kawasaki disease results predomina ntly from alterations of lipoprotein composition. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience B.V.