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Interleukin-18 and coronary artery lesions in patients with Kawasaki disease

Ken-Pen Weng1, Kai-Sheng Hsieh, Shih-Hui Huang

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.

Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
|June 18, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels are elevated in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD), potentially contributing to coronary artery lesions (CALs). These elevated IL-18 levels may persist until the convalescent phase in patients with CALs.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is implicated in the cytokine cascade leading to coronary artery lesions (CALs) in Kawasaki disease (KD).
  • Existing literature on the association between IL-18 and KD is limited.
  • This study investigates the relationship between IL-18 and CALs in KD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the correlation between serum IL-18 levels and the presence of CALs in patients with KD.
  • To assess IL-18 levels during different phases of KD (acute, subacute, convalescent).

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study involving 14 children with KD (7 with and 7 without CALs).
  • Serum IL-18 levels were measured using a Bio-Plex cytokine assay during acute, subacute, and convalescent phases.
  • Control samples were obtained from 18 febrile children with viral infections.

Main Results:

  • Patients with acute-stage CALs exhibited significantly higher IL-18 levels compared to febrile controls (88.4 ± 20.7 vs 56.0 ± 35.0 pg/mL, p = 0.006).
  • Patients without acute-stage CALs did not show similarly elevated IL-18 levels (62.0 ± 40.6 vs 56.0 ± 35.0 pg/mL, p = 0.762).
  • Elevated IL-18 levels in patients with CALs persisted until the convalescent phase, while levels in patients without CALs decreased significantly in the subacute phase.

Conclusions:

  • Serum IL-18 levels are elevated during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease.
  • Elevated IL-18 levels may be associated with the development of coronary artery lesions in KD.
  • IL-18 warrants further investigation as a potential biomarker for CALs in KD.
Abstract

Keywords:
Kawasaki diseasecoronary artery lesionsinterleukin-18

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