Soluble interleukin-2 receptors in children with Kawasaki syndrome

We studied levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) in serial serum samples obtained from 93 patients with Kawasaki syndrome, using a double-antibody "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Concentrations of soluble IL-2R were significantly increased in Kawasaki syndrome patients in the first 4 weeks of illness when compared with either healthy adult or pediatric controls (P less than 0.02), and in the first 2 weeks of illness when compared with a group of children with measles (P less than 0.0001). Furthermore, in the second week of illness, levels of soluble IL-2R were significantly greater in children who subsequently developed coronary artery aneurysms than in patients with normal appearing coronary arteries. Serum concentration of soluble IL-2R is a useful marker for detecting early Kawasaki syndrome and identifies those patients who are at greater risk of developing coronary artery aneurysms.