Height, VKORC1 1173, and CYP2C9 Genotypes Determine Warfarin Dose for Pediatric Patients with Kawasaki Disease in Southwest China

Long-term oral warfarin is recommended in pediatric Kawasaki disease patients with large coronary artery aneurysms; however, heterogeneity is considerable. This study aimed to determine variables affecting warfarin dosage in Kawasaki disease. The enrolled individuals (194 children) were divided into four groups: (1) Cases with severe coronary artery lesions (CAL) of IV to V degrees or thrombogenesis treated with oral warfarin were assigned to Group A; (2) Group B, CAL of I degrees; (3) Group C, CAL of II and III degrees cases with small or medium-sized CAL not treated with warfarin; (4) Group D, normal children without Kawasaki disease. The relevant genotypes of CYP2C9, VKORC1 (1173, − 1639, and 3730), and CYP4F2 were assessed. There were no statistically significant differences in CYP2C9, VKORC1, and CYP4F2 mutation frequencies among the 4 groups. In the 44 Group A patients, demographic features, clinical characteristics, and genotypes were recorded, and their associations with warfarin dose variability were assessed. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that height, VKORC1 1173, and CYP2C9 accounted for 61.2%, 7.9%, and 4.3% of dosing variability, respectively. Conclusions: Patient height is the main factor determining warfarin dosage, while genotype effects on warfarin dosage vary among studies. New formula should be defined using data obtained from children in cases with demonstrated efficacy.