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Combined IFN-β and PLT Detection Can Identify Kawasaki Disease Efficiently
Kan Huijuan1,2, Dong Yaping1, Wang Bo1
1Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Insights
Combined detection of interferon beta (IFN-β) and platelet (PLT) offers an efficient method for identifying Kawasaki disease (KD). This approach shows high sensitivity and specificity in both acute and subacute phases of KD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Kawasaki disease (KD) is a critical pediatric illness requiring early diagnosis and treatment.
- Accurate identification of KD, particularly differentiating it from other febrile illnesses, remains a clinical challenge.
- Interferon beta (IFN-β) and platelet (PLT) levels are potential indicators in inflammatory conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic value of combined detection of serum IFN-β and PLT for Kawasaki disease.
- To determine the efficacy of this combined biomarker in distinguishing KD from other febrile diseases in children.
- To establish cutoff values for IFN-β and PLT in acute and subacute phases of KD.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 44 children with newly diagnosed KD (acute and subacute phases), 44 febrile controls, and 44 healthy controls.
- Measurement of serum IFN-β and PLT concentrations using standard laboratory techniques.
- Statistical analysis including Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to evaluate diagnostic performance.
Main Results:
- Both IFN-β and PLT levels were significantly elevated in KD patients compared to control groups, particularly in the subacute phase (P < 0.05).
- Combined IFN-β and PLT detection demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy, with Areas Under the Curve (AUCs) of 0.81 in the acute phase and 0.96 in the subacute phase.
- Specific cutoff values were identified: IFN-β = 3.51 pg/ml and PLT = 303 × 10⁹/L for acute KD; IFN-β = 4.21 pg/ml and PLT = 368 × 10⁹/L for subacute KD.
Conclusions:
- Combined detection of IFN-β and PLT serves as an effective and efficient biomarker for the identification of Kawasaki disease.
- The established cutoff values provide valuable reference points for clinical diagnosis in both acute and subacute stages of KD.
- This combined biomarker approach shows promise for improving the early and accurate diagnosis of KD in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
Objective: To evaluate the value of combined interferon β (IFN-β) and platelet (PLT) detection for Kawasaki disease (KD) identification. Methods: Forty-four children who were newly diagnosed with KD were selected as the KD group. They were divided into acute phase of KD and subacute phase of KD. They were also separated into groups with and without coronary artery disease (CAD) (CAD+ and CAD-, respectively). Meanwhile, 44 children hospitalized with febrile disease and 44 healthy children were selected as a febrile control group and normal control group, whom were attended to at Children's Hospital of Soochow University at the same time. We detected the concentration of IFN-β and PLT of peripheral blood serum for all three groups and analyzed the difference. Results: At acute and subacute phases of KD, both IFN-β and PLT are higher than both the febrile control group and healthy control group, especially at subacute phase; the difference between groups was statistically significant, P < 0.05. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of IFN-β and PLT at acute phase of KD were 0.81 and 0.72, respectively; the sensitivity and specificity were 97.22 and 63.64%, and 57.89 and 73.86%, respectively. The AUCs of combined IFN-β and PLT were 0.81 at acute phase and 0.96 at subacute phase of KD, with sensitivity and specificity of 97.22 and 55.26%, and 86.36 and 100%, respectively. The cutoff value of combined IFN-β and PLT detection was IFN-β = 3.51 pg/ml and PLT = 303 × 109/L at acute phase of KD, IFN-β = 4.21 pg/ml and PLT = 368 × 109/L at subacute phase from plot vs. criterion values. However, there are no significant differences between the CAD- group and the CAD+ group for combined IFN-β and PLT, both P > 0.5, neither at acute nor at subacute phase of KD. Conclusion: Combined IFN-β and PLT detection is an efficient biomarker for KD identification. The cutoff values are IFN-β = 3.51 pg/ml and PLT = 303 × 109/L at acute phase of KD and IFN-β = 4.21 pg/ml and PLT = 368 × 109/L at subacute phase.
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