The value of serum lipid in children after recovery of Kawasaki disease may be important bacause of the predilection of this disease for the coronary artery.

To determine the alterations in serum total cholesterol(TC) and high density lipoprotein(HDL)-cholesterol levels in Kawasaki disease(KD), we measured serum HDL-cholesterol and TC in 35 patients(mean age 36.8±22.0 months, range 6 to 93 months) with Kawasaki disease(KD) during 10 days or less after the onset(group A) and 2 months later after recovery. TC and HDL-cholesterol were also measured in an acute febrile respiratory illness group(group B) and a nonfebrile respiratory illness group(group C) to compare with those of KD.

HDL-cholesterol levels in group A were depressed(29.6±11.0mg/dl) compared with groups B and C(47.3±13.3mg/dl and 45.1±12.4mg/dl, respectively, p<0.01). TC levels in group A (145.1±33.1mg/dl) were not significantly different from those of group B(146.8±33.4mg/dl) and C (157.1±29.6mg/dl). Also the level of serum HDL-cholesterol in the acute phase of KD was significantly lower when compared with that after recovery(30.2±13.2mg/dl vs 50.0±10.2mg/dl, p<0.05). In KD patients, TC levels were not significantly different between the acute & recovery phases(145.0±26.6mg/dl, 153.4±32.6mg/dl). Echo-cardiography confirmed coronary artery aneurysms in 11 patients(31.4%) and otherwise, normal findings(n=24) in the KD group. There were no significant difference in TC level(140.7±27.6mg/dl vs. 146.9±35.4mg/dl, p=NS) and HDL cholesterol level(30.1±12.5mg/dl vs. 29.2±10.7mg/dl, p=NS) between patients with and without coronary aneurysms.

HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly depressed only in the acute phase of KD but TC levels did not change significantly. Both levels were not related to coronary artery aneurysm.