Clinical and Cytokine Profile of Children With COVID-19: A Report From Turkey

Background We aimed to analyze the expression of infection-related biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines in laboratory-confirmed cases and compare the differences between clinically severe and non-severe ones. Method We randomly selected 35 patients who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Blood serum was obtained at the time of admission to the hospital, on the third to the fifth day, and at the time of discharge. Result The median age of our patients was 56.5±69.7 months (range: 1-205 months). The mean pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) was significantly higher at the time of admission than on the third to the fifth day of illness. The mean pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels at three time points were significantly higher in patients with severe cases than in mild-moderate cases. However, there was no significant difference between the clinical severity with regard to the cytokine levels at disease onset and recovery. Conclusion In the study, it was shown that cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Therefore, it may be beneficial to use agents such as tocilizumab in the treatment.