BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine whether plasma hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a biomarker for predicting coronary artery lesions (CAL) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD).

MethodsA prospective study was conducted on 50 KD patients and 27 healthy children. Plasma H2S was analyzed at the acute stage. Plasma H2S was detected using the sensitive electrode method, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was carried out.

ResultsPlasma H2S in KD patients at the acute stage was significantly lower than that of controls. CAL patients had reduced plasma H2S at acute stage compared with the non-CAL patients. A plasma H2S cut-off of 31.2 mu mol/L provided a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 62.5% for predicting coronary injuries in KD. Optimal specificity and sensitivity were obtained when using plasma H2S to predict CAL in KD children.

ConclusionPlasma H2S level in the acute period is a potentially useful biomarker for predicting CAL in KD children.