Genetic Study of Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children; however, the etiology of this disease is still unclear. Several genome-wide association studies (GWASs) indicated that genetic variations contribute to KD susceptibility and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) responses. Application genetic risk score is another example of pharmacogenomics research for predicting IVIG unresponsiveness. High-throughput DNA sequencing technology has been developed on an unprecedented scale, and more and more genomic information will be available to understand the etiology and treatment of KD.