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Cytokine Profile in Children Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Preliminary Findings

Danilo Buonsenso1,2,3, Anna Camporesi4, Gabriele Di Sante5

  • 1From the Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|October 1, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Long COVID in children may involve a proinflammatory signature, with distinct differences in specific protein levels observed. These findings suggest potential biomarkers for pediatric Long COVID assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric immunology
  • Infectious disease research
  • Long COVID pathophysiology

Background:

  • Long COVID, or persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, affects individuals of all ages.
  • While extensively studied in adults, the specific characteristics of Long COVID in children are less understood.
  • Emerging evidence suggests a potential inflammatory component in pediatric Long COVID.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential proinflammatory signature in children experiencing Long COVID.
  • To identify specific biomarkers associated with Long COVID in pediatric populations.
  • To compare immunological profiles of children with Long COVID, convalescent children, and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Recruitment of ten children with Long COVID, seven convalescent children post-COVID-19, and four healthy controls.
  • Analysis of protein levels in enrolled subjects.
  • Statistical adjustment for confounding factors such as sex and age.

Main Results:

  • Children with Long COVID exhibited statistically significant differences in the levels of Flt3L, CD5, uPA, CCL23, CD40, and TGFα compared to controls, after adjusting for sex.
  • CCL23 levels remained statistically significant even after adjusting for age.
  • These findings indicate a distinct immunological profile in pediatric Long COVID.

Conclusions:

  • Preliminary evidence suggests a proinflammatory signature in pediatric Long COVID.
  • Specific proteins like CCL23 may serve as potential biomarkers for Long COVID in children.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore therapeutic implications.

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