title: T-Helper Cytokine Profiles in Patients with Kawasaki Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis of which pathogenesis suspected is caused by immune dysregulation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the activation pattern of T helper cell type 1 (Th1) and T helper cell type 2 (Th2) in patients with Kawasaki disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study of 60 patients (male 36, female 24) with diagnosis of Kawasaki disease were enrolled. One hundred and eighty blood samples from these patients were collected according to the different clinical stages {before initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), 5 days after initial IVIG, 2 months after initial IVIG}. The plasma level of Th1 cytokines; interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) & interleukin (IL)-2 and Th2 cytokines; IL-4 & IL-10 were measured by enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all patients, the plasma level of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were markedly elevated during the acute stage of Kawasaki disease. Since then, the plasma level of all these cytokines decreased significantly along with the process of clinical stages. Regardless of the existence of coronary artery lesion or no response to initial IVIG treatment, there were no significant differences between them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that both Th1 and Th2 cells may be activated simultaneously during the acute stage of Kawasaki disease. Further studies are therefore required to establish the difference of activation pattern of T helper cells between Kawasaki disease and other inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyungbook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Bum
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyungbook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Chul
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyungbook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeo Hyang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Cytokine; Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome; Th1-Th2 cytokine balance