Elevated Serum IL-17A in Kawasaki Disease Patients Predicts Responsiveness to Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum interleukin (IL)-17A levels and responsiveness to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy in Kawasaki disease (KD) patients. A retrospective analysis on data from 192 KD patients admitted to the Anqing Municipal Hospital between January 2021 and January 2024 was conducted. Patients were categorized into IVIG-nonresponsive and IVIG-sensitive groups as per the treatment outcomes. Outcome measures included serum IL-17A levels, left coronary artery (LCA) Z scores, and relevant laboratory parameters. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictive factors for IVIG responsiveness, and diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculation of the area under the curve (AUC). A total of 40 IVIG-nonresponsive cases and 152 IVIG-sensitive cases were included. Prior to intervention, IVIG-nonresponsive patients had significantly higher serum IL-17A levels compared to IVIG-sensitive patients, with a statistically significant difference. After intervention, serum IL-17A levels significantly decreased in IVIG-sensitive patients while remaining elevated in IVIG-nonresponsive patients. IVIG-nonresponsive patients exhibited significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), NE, and ALT compared to IVIG-sensitive patients, whereas no significant differences in LCA Z scores between the two groups existed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified pre-IL-17A, CRP, WBC, and ALT as independent predictors of IVIG-nonresponsiveness in KD. When pre-IL-17A was ≥39.96 pg/mL, the specificity and sensitivity for predicting IVIG-nonresponsive KD were 63.9% and 71.9%, respectively, with an AUC of 0.637. The combined diagnosis of IL-17A, CRP, WBC, and ALT yielded an AUC of 0.780. Serum IL-17A levels were remarkably elevated in IVIG-nonresponsive KD patients both before and after intervention. A serum IL-17A level (≥39.96 pg/mL) demonstrated good predictive profile for IVIG-nonresponsive KD, and combining IL-17A with CRP, WBC, and ALT improved diagnostic performance.

Lu Y ，Hu FQ 《-》

[Development of a predictive scoring model for non-response to intravenous immunoglobulin in Kawasaki disease].

Huang YX ，Huang Y ，Pi GH 《-》

Predictive modeling of consecutive intravenous immunoglobulin treatment resistance in Kawasaki disease: A nationwide study.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children, often resulting in coronary artery complications such as dilation, aneurysms, and stenosis. While intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is effective in reducing immunologic inflammation, 10-15% of patients do not respond to initial therapy, and some show resistance even after two consecutive treatments. Predicting which patients will not respond to these two IVIG treatments is crucial for guiding treatment strategies and improving outcomes. This study aimed to forecast resistance to two consecutive IVIG treatments using advanced machine learning models based on clinical and laboratory data. Data from the 9th National Kawasaki Disease Patient Survey by the Korean Kawasaki Disease Society encompassing 15,378 patients (mean age 33.0 ± 24.8 months; sex ratio 1.4:1) were used. Clinical and laboratory findings included white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum protein, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and presence of pyuria. Machine learning models, including Logistic Regression (LR), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Random Forest (RF), CATBoost, Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), were applied to predict treatment resistance. The machine learning models achieved Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) values between 0.664 and 0.791, with the GBM model exhibiting the highest AUROC of 0.791. Analysis of feature importance revealed that ANC, serum protein, platelet count, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were the most significant predictors of treatment resistance. The cutoff values for these predictors were 7,860/mm³ for ANC, 7.0 g/dL for serum protein, 519,000/mm³ for platelet count, and 10.4 mg/dL for CRP. Among the patients, 12.2% were refractory to the first IVIG infusion, and 2.8% did not respond to the second IVIG treatment. Additionally, 13.1% of these patients had confirmed coronary artery dilatation (CAD) in the acute phase, and 4.7% developed CAD after the acute phase. Machine learning models effectively predict resistance to consecutive IVIG treatments, allowing for early identification of high-risk patients. Key predictors include ANC, serum protein, platelet count, and CRP levels. These findings can guide personalized treatment strategies and improve outcomes for Kawasaki Disease.

Cheon EJ ，Kim GB ，Park S 《Scientific Reports》

Analysis of the clinical characteristics of patients with Kawasaki disease complicated with cholestasis.

To explore the clinical characteristics, related factors, and prognosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) combined with acute febrile cholestasis and improve the understanding of the liver complications of KD to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. We retrospectively analyzed the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of 1803 patients with KD between January 2019 and July 2023 in our hospital. Based on the presence of cholestasis, patients were divided into the cholestatic and control groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed for the statistically significant indicators between the two groups to examine the risk factors for KD with coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) unresponsiveness. Additionally, patients with KD and cholestasis were compared with patients with acute febrile cholestasis due to other causes during the same period. Compared to the control group (n = 1720), patients in the cholestatic group (n = 83) were older, had higher levels of white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a shorter fever duration, and high incidences of IVIG unresponsiveness and CAA. KD was the leading cause of acute febrile cholestasis in children (72.6%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, younger age, cholestasis, hypoalbuminemia, and a high NT-proBNP level were risk factors for IVIG unresponsiveness, whereas male sex, longer fever duration before treatment, and high alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and CRP levels were risk factors for CAA. KD with cholestasis was associated with a higher risk of IVIG unresponsiveness and coronary artery abnormalities. KD was the leading cause of acute febrile cholestasis in children. Attention to the possibility of KD is warranted in children with acute febrile cholestatic jaundice, especially if associated with elevated WBC, CRP, and D-dimer levels, or hypoalbuminemia.

Yang P ，Meng L ，Guo J 《BMC Pediatrics》

Erratum: Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs.

《Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments》