Serum resistin concentrations in children with Kawasaki disease.
OBJECTIVE
Human resistin is expressed strongly in monocytes or macrophages rather than in adipocytes and may play a pivotal role in inflammation. We hypothesize that resistin levels are elevated in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) in the acute phase and may be associated with the disease severity.


METHODS
Serum resistin concentrations were measured in 44 Japanese children with KD and 17 age-matched healthy children. All the KD patients were given both aspirin and a single dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).


RESULTS
The serum resistin levels at baseline in KD children were significantly higher than those in controls [33.0 (21.6-45.3) vs. 14.8 (12.4-18.6) ng/mL, P < 0.001]. After IVIG therapy, serum resistin levels were significantly decreased to normal control levels. No significant difference in baseline resistin levels was found between the high-risk group and the low-risk group of coronary artery aneurysms.


CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed that resistin was an acute inflammatory protein, but its concentrations were unlikely to predict the prognosis of disease in acute KD patients.
Nozue
Hiroki
H
Department of Pediatrics, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. nozueh@xd5.so-net.ne.jp
Imai
Hironori
H
Saitoh
Hisako
H
Aoki
Takeshi
T
Ichikawa
Kunio
K
Kamoda
Tomohiro
T
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; C499624:RETN protein, human; D052243:Resistin