Functional benefits of corticosteroid and IVIG combination therapy in a coronary artery endothelial cell model of Kawasaki disease

Comparison of methylprednisolone alone versus intravenous immunoglobulin plus methylprednisolone for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)

BACKGROUND

As a first-line therapeutic option for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) with surging demand, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is associated with escalating costs and supply shortages, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. This study compares the effectiveness of methylprednisolone alone versus IVIG combined with methylprednisolone for managing MIS-C.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study from January 2022 to June 2023 at Vietnam National Children's Hospital. We used propensity score matching to compare the short-term outcomes based on immunomodulatory therapy with methylprednisolone alone or IVIG plus methylprednisolone.

RESULTS

We included 391 patients, comprising 255 boys and 136 girls, who fulfilled the MIS-C case definition of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most patients (80.8%) received intravenous methylprednisolone monotherapy, and 19.2% were administered IVIG in addition to methylprednisolone. In general, the laboratory values indicative of hyperinflammatory and hyperthrombotic states displayed significant early response within 2-3 days after initial treatment, including white cell count (SE=1.77, p<0.001), NEU (SE=0.76, p=0.03), C reactive protein (SE=-46.51, p<0.001), PLT (SE=38.05, p=0.002), fibrinogen (SE=-0.37, p=0.002), d-dimer (SE=-849.8, p=0.02)); while subsequent improvement in cardiac markers was also observed, with pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (SE=-165.2, p<0.001) on day 5 and troponin I (SE=-0.05, p=0.004) on day 7. After propensity score weighting, there were 41 patients in each treatment group. Notably, there were no significant differences in the incidence of cardiac events between treatment groups regarding left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery dilation or aneurysms (10.3% vs 20.7%, p=0.074 and 63.4% vs 56.1%, p=0.653, respectively). While the median paediatric intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) and hospital LOS were slightly lengthier in the IVIG and methylprednisolone group compared with those of the methylprednisolone group, these differences were not statistically significant ((5 vs 4, p=0.782) and (9 vs 7, p=0.725), respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Initial treatment with methylprednisolone monotherapy appears not inferior in effectiveness to adjunctive IVIG plus methylprednisolone in MIS-C. Further investigations in randomised controlled trials deserve to be undergone to clarify if IVIG-sparing glucocorticoids are a viable option for achieving favourable outcomes in MIS-C, particularly in resource-limited settings with barriers approaching IVIG therapy.

Utilizing T-Lymphocyte Activation-Related Cytokines to Predict Non-Responsiveness to Treatment in Pediatric Kawasaki Disease

Objective

To investigate the predictive value of T-lymphocyte activation-related cytokines in non-responsive Kawasaki disease.

Methods

Eighty-two children with Kawasaki disease, hospitalized from June 2022 to December 2023, were divided into two groups based on treatment response: the sensitive Kawasaki disease group (n=71) and the non-responsive Kawasaki disease group (n=11). Serum levels of T-lymph activation-related cytokines, including interleukin-2, 6, 7, 12, 15, 17, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, were measured before and after IVIG treatment in both groups. The differences in cytokine levels between the two groups were compared pre- and post-treatment. The ability of these cytokines to discriminate non-responsive Kawasaki disease was evaluated using ROC curves to determine the cut-off value.

Results

Before initial treatment, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor-α values were significantly higher in the non-responsive Kawasaki disease group compared to the sensitive Kawasaki disease group. Comparisons before and after initial treatment showed significant decreases in IL-6 and 17 in the sensitive Kawasaki disease group and significant decreases in IL-6 and 7 in the non-responsive Kawasaki disease group. IL-6 and 17 significantly increased in the sensitive group compared to the non-responsive group after initial treatment. The ROC curves indicated that IL-6 predicted the area under the curve (AUC) for non-responsive Kawasaki disease to be 0.859 before treatment and 0.920 after treatment. Similarly, IL-17 had AUC values of 0.699 before treatment and 0.884 after treatment.

Conclusion

Reassessing IL-6 and IL-17 following the initial treatment for Kawasaki disease may improve early warning signals for unresponsive Kawasaki disease.

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. We studied whether IL-33 and its receptor (ST2) might be involved in KD pathogenesis. Serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2) in KD patients were measured before their first therapy. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of IL-33 on human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs). Serum levels of sST2 were significantly higher in KD patients with CALs than in those with normal coronary arteries. In vitro, IL-33 upregulated the expression of ST2L and increased production of sST2, IL-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in HCAECs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, IL-33 induced significantly greater production of IL-6 and IL-8 in HCAECs compared to the condition stimulated with isoconcentration of tumor necrosis factor-α. The results of the present study suggest that the IL-33/ST2 axis might be involved in the development of KD vasculitis. The IL-33/ST2 axis may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of KD.

Molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in Kawasaki-disease-associated vasculitis

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, inflammation mediated vasculitis, mainly affecting in children under five, which is consider as the most common coronary artery disease in children. The injuries of coronary arteries would result in dilation or thrombus formation, bringing great threaten to patients. Endothelium, located in the inner surface of coronary artery, serves as the interface between the circulating inflammatory cells and vascular media or adventitia, which is the first target of inflammatory attacks during early stage of KD. A series of studies have determined vascular endothelial cells damages and dysfunction in KD patients. However, current therapeutic strategy is still challenging. So that it is critical to underline the mechanisms of endothelium injuries. In this review, the role of endothelial cells in the pathogenesis of KD and the therapeutic methods for endothelial cells were systematically described.

Recent Experience: Corticosteroids as a First-line Therapy in Children With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and COVID-19-related Myocardial Damage

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular complications with myocarditis in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection have been reported, but the optimal therapeutic strategy remains unknown.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study included 19 patients with acute left ventricular systolic dysfunction associated with MIS-C, average years of age 13.2 ± 3.8, treated from April 2020 to April 2021.

RESULTS

Treatment failure (TF) was observed in 8 patients (in the intravenous immunoglobulin [IVIG] group 7/10; in the corticosteroid [CS] group 1/9). The independent risk factor for TF was IVIG treatment (odds ratio [OR] 18.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6-222.93, P = 0.02). Patients initially treated with CS became afebrile during in-hospital day 1 (1.5, interquartile range [IQR] 1-2), while IVIG-treated patients became afebrile on in-hospital day 4 (IQR 2-4.25), after CS was added. The C-reactive protein (CRP) significantly declined in CS-treated patients on day 2 (P = 0.01), while in the IVIG group, CRP decreased significantly on the fourth day (P = 0.04). Sodium and albumin levels were higher on third in-hospital day in the CS group than in the IVIG group (P = 0.015, P = 0.03). A significant improvement and normalization of ejection fraction (EF) during the first 3 days was observed only in the CS group (P = 0.005). ICU stays were shorter in the CS group (4, IQR 2-5.5) than in the IVIG group (IVIG group 7, IQR 6-8.5) (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Among children with MIS-C with cardiovascular involvement, treatment with CS was associated with faster normalization of LV EF, fever, laboratory analysis, and shorter ICU than IVIG-treated patients.