Increased levels of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in kawasaki disease

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Abstract
Objective. We investigated whether levels of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1) antigen shed into the circulation increase during acute Kawasaki disease (KD). We also compared ICAM‐1 levels in acute KD with those in anaphylactoid purpura (AP) and in measles. Methods. Serum ICAM‐1 levels were measured by a double‐determinant immunoassay using 2 monoclonal antibodies in the FAST (Falcon assay screening test) system. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were measured by a specific and sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Results. Patients with KD, but not those with AP or measles, had increased levels of shed ICAM‐1 antigen in serum samples obtained during acute stages. Moreover, during the acute stage, KD patients with coronary artery lesions (CAL) had still higher levels of shed ICAM‐1 than did those without CAL. We found a positive correlation between serum levels of shed ICAM‐1 and levels of TNFα during acute KD. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that the serum ICAM‐1 level is an important immunologic parameter for determining the severity of vascular damage during acute KD.