[Expression of Nod-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children with Kawasaki disease in the acute stage].

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome with inflammatory response in the acute stage and coronary artery lesion (CAL) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: A total of 42 children with KD who were hospitalized from January to October 2017 were enrolled as the KD group, among whom 9 had CAL (CAL group) and 33 had no CAL (NCAL group). Fifteen age- and gender-matched children with pneumonia and pyrexia were enrolled as the pneumonia-pyrexia group. Fifteen healthy children were enrolled as the healthy control group. Real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of NLRP3 inflammasome (NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to investigate the correlation of NLRP3 mRNA expression with serum levels of C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, interleukin-6, interleukin-1ß, procalcitonin, albumin and prealbumin. RESULTS: The KD group had significantly higher mRNA expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 in the acute stage than the pneumonia-pyrexia and healthy control groups (P<0.05). The CAL group had significantly higher mRNA expression of NLRP3 than the NCAL group (P<0.05). NLRP3 mRNA expression was correlated with C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-1ß, and prealbumin levels in children with KD in the acute stage (rs=0.449, 0.376, 0.427, and -0.416 respectively; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NLRP3 inflammasome may participate in inflammatory response in the acute stage and the development of CAL in children with KD.

[Quality of life in children with short stature: an analysis using PedsQL].

OBJECTIVE: To study the differences in quality of life and psychosocial function between children with short stature and children with normal stature. METHODS: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was used to survey 53 children aged 5-18 years who were diagnosed with short stature between June 2011 and June 2012, and their parents or guardians. Seventy-nine healthy children aged 4-17 years were selected as the control group. RESULTS: For PedsQL Child-Self Report, the children with short stature had a significantly higher total score than the control children (25.3±11.2 vs 21.1±10.3; P<0.05), and the former had significantly higher scores than the latter on the following items: It is hard for me to walk more than one block; It is hard for me to lift something heavy; I hurt or ache; I worry about what will happen to me; I cannot do things that other kids of my age can do; It is hard to keep up when I play with other kids; It is hard to pay attention in class; I forget things; I have trouble keeping up with my schoolwork (P<0.05). For PedsQL Parent-Proxy Report, the children with short stature had significantly higher scores than the control children on the following items: troubled sleeping; paying attention in class; keeping up with schoolwork; forgetting things (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in total score, however, between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with short stature have poorer development of psychosocial function than children with normal stature.