Serum procalcitonin value is useful for predicting severity of Kawasaki disease.

We measured serum procalcitonin concentrations in 160 patients suffering from Kawasaki disease. Serum procalcitonin was significantly higher in nonresponders to an initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment than in responders. A cutoff value of procalcitonin (0.

Kawasaki disease patients with six principal symptoms have a high risk of being a non-responder.

Background: A diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) is established using six principal symptoms. Because the principal symptoms are deeply connected with KD, it is thus important to investigate the usefulness of the principal symptoms for evaluating the disease severity of KD.

Methods: Patients with definite KD or suspicion of KD were retrospectively examined.

A severe form of Kawasaki disease presenting with only fever and cervical lymphadenopathy at admission.

Objective: To examine the characteristics of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) presenting with only fever and cervical lymphadenopathy at admission.

Study Design: The laboratory and clinical findings of patients with definite KD presenting with only fever and cervical lymphadenopathy at admission (KDiL) were compared with those of all other patients with KD.

Results: Sixteen patients with KDiL (8.

An elevated value of high mobility group box 1 is a potential marker for poor response to high-dose of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment in patients with Kawasaki syndrome.

We examined the serum values of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in 36 patients with Kawasaki syndrome (KS) (29 responders and 7 poor-responders to initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment). A mean value of HMGB1 of poor-responders was significantly elevated compared with those of responders (P = 0.0042).

Association between the number of cardiovascular risk factors and each risk factor level in elementary school children.

Background: Little is known regarding the association between numbers of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and the level of each risk factor in elementary school children based on a longitudinal study.

Methods And Results: A descriptive study of 319 obese children aged 6-11 years who participated in a screening program for comorbidity of obesity between 2003 and 2005, and who participated in consecutive years thereafter, was performed. Abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia (low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels and/or high triglyceride levels), and raised fasting glucose levels were used as the CV risk factors.

Early diagnosis of Kawasaki disease in patients with cervical lymphadenopathy.

Background: Among typical patients with Kawasaki disease (KD), a few KD patients present with only fever and cervical lymphadenopathy at admission (KDL). These patients have a significant risk for misdiagnosis, delay in treatment for KD, and development of coronary artery abnormalities. Therefore, the development of an easy tool for early diagnosis in these patients is desirable.

Electrocatalytic formal [2+2] cycloaddition reactions between anodically activated enyloxy benzene and alkenes.

Electrocatalytic formal [2+2] cycloadditions between anodically activated enyloxy benzene and alkenes have been accomplished in a lithium perchlorate/nitromethane electrolyte solution. The enyloxy benzene moiety of these electrolytic substrates played an important role in the formation of a radical cation that could accept nucleophilic alkenes, followed by intramolecular electron transfer between the cyclobutane and phenyl ether moieties of the intermediates.

Four cases of Kawasaki syndrome complicated with myocarditis.

Background: Myocarditis frequently occurs in the acute phase of Kawasaki syndrome (KS), and a few severe cases have been reported. Four cases of myocarditis in KS required additional catecholamine treatment because of severe left ventricular dysfunction (LVD).

Case Reports: Three cases were relatively older children and 2 cases were complicated with encephalopathy.