Clinical utility of gastric fluid cytokine levels in preterm infants for predicting histological chorioamnionitis.

Background: The risk of various complications, such as neonatal death, early onset sepsis, and chronic lung disease, is increased in infants born to mothers with chorioamnionitis (CAM). However, predicting the diagnosis of histological CAM (hCAM) in the early postnatal period is challenging for clinicians due to pathological considerations. Therefore, an early diagnostic tool for hCAM is needed.

Interleukin-33 and Soluble ST2 Levels in Infants with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

Introduction: Interleukin (IL)-33 and its receptor ST2L play key roles in the IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway. Soluble ST2 (sST2) inhibits the proper function of IL-33. sST2 levels are increased in patients with several neurological diseases, but in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), IL-33 and sST2 levels have not been studied.

Interleukin-33/ST2 Axis as Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Kawasaki Disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limiting, febrile systemic vasculitis of unknown cause associated with the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs) during childhood. Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from cell death and oxidative stress have been shown to be involved in the development of KD vasculitis. Interleukin (IL)-33 is released from damaged endothelial cells and acts as a DAMP.

Utility of Soluble CD163 in the Clinical Management of Patients With Kawasaki Disease.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy is a useful first-line treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD); however, 10-20% of patients fail to respond and require additional IVIG. Soluble CD163 (sCD163) is considered a biomarker for macrophage activation. There are no reports measuring serum sCD163 in KD patients.

Circulating endothelial glycocalyx components as a predictive marker of coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is acute and self-limited vasculitis caused by unknown origin, and the critical complication in KD patients is coronary artery lesions (CALs). The endothelial glycocalyx is a network of membranes luminally covering the endothelium. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of serum glycocalyx components as biomarkers of predicting the onset CALs in KD.

[Refractory primary immune thrombocytopenia in pregnancy requiring splenectomy and repeated intravenous immunoglobulin therapy].

A 30-year-old primigravid woman without a history of thrombocytopenia was referred to our hospital because of severe thrombocytopenia (<1,000 thrombocytes/µl) at 16 weeks of gestation and diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). There was no improvement in the platelet count after treatment with 0.5-1.