A Comparison of Concentrations of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma between the Dose of Intravenous Immunoglobulin 1 gm/kg and 2 gm/kg in the Patients with Kawasaki Disease / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Recently, the protocol of high dose of intravenous immunoglobulin has been preferred in the treatment of acute stage of Kawasaki disease. In this study, we have compared the serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in the patients with Kawasaki disease between intravenous immunoglobulin of 1 gm/kg and 2 gm/kg groups. METHODS: Fourteen patients admitted to Asan Medical Center were enrolled in this study. These patients met the diagnostic criteria of Kawasaki disease divided into two groups by the dose of intravenous immunoglobulin, 1 gm/kg and 2 gm/kg. The concentrations of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma using ELISA methods were measured before and after the 5th and 14th days of intravenous immunoglobulin. RESULTS: The serum levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma showed no statistically significant difference between 1 gm/kg and 2 gm/kg group of intravenous immunoglobulin on before the treatment and the 5th, 14th days after the infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin. CONCLUSION: There is no difference of serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma between the intravenous immunoglobulin of 1 gm/kg and 2 gm/kg doses in an acute stage of Kawasaki disease. The dose of immunoglobulin in a treatment of Kawasaki disease needs to be examined in future studies.