Frequency and size of coronary arterial aneurysm at necropsy in Kawasaki disease.

The diameter of the largest coronary arterial aneurysm was examined in 61 autopsied children with Kawasaki disease. Thirty children died during the acute stage: The largest diameter of the coronary aneurysm was 6 mm or more in 23 who died of coronary heart disease and 4.5 mm or less in 7 who died of myocarditis. Thirty-one children died during the healed stage: The diameter of the largest coronary aneurysm was 8 mm or more in 26, to 8 mm in 3, and 2.5 mm or less (normal) in 2. Two patients without coronary aneurysms died of bacterial infections or accidents. Twenty-nine patients with a coronary aneurysm 6 mm or more in diameter died of coronary heart disease. Twenty-three of 26 children with a coronary aneurysm 8 mm or larger had multivessel coronary aneurysms.