Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Longitudinal cytokine profile in severe COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: A single centre
Ali Sobh1, Marwa H Elnagdy2, Doaa Mosad Mosa3
1Department of Pediatrics, Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Insights
Cytokine profiles in children with severe COVID-19 and MIS-C reveal distinct inflammatory patterns. Understanding these cytokine changes aids in predicting disease severity and guiding treatment for pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric immunology
- Infectious diseases
- Critical care medicine
Background:
- Severe COVID-19 and MIS-C involve hyper-inflammatory responses.
- Cytokine profiles are crucial for understanding disease heterogeneity.
- Temporal changes in cytokines can inform prognosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze cytokine profiles in children with severe COVID-19 and MIS-C.
- To compare cytokine levels between severe COVID-19, MIS-C, and healthy controls.
- To identify cytokine biomarkers for disease severity and management.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of hospitalized children (<18 years).
- Comparison of severe COVID-19, severe MIS-C, and healthy control groups.
- Evaluation of demographics, clinical data, and cytokine profiles at admission and Day 14.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in G-CSF, IL-10, HMGB1, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and INF-gamma between cases and controls.
- Distinct cytokine differences (IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, INF-gamma) between COVID-19 and MIS-C at Day 1.
- Converging cytokine profiles (G-CSF, IL-10, IL-6) by Day 14.
Conclusions:
- Cytokine patterns differ between severe COVID-19 and MIS-C in children.
- Upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (G-CSF, IL-10, HMGB1, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, INF-gamma) is significant.
- These biomarkers are valuable for assessing severity and guiding treatment in SARS-CoV-2 immunological events.
Aim:
The severity of COVID-19 is influenced by uncontrolled hyper-inflammatory response with excessive release of many cytokines and chemokines. The understanding of the temporal change in the cytokine levels that underlies the diverse clinical presentations of COVID-19 can help in the prediction of the disease outcome and in the design of proper treatment strategies.
Method:
Data were collected from children (<18 years old) hospitalised with severe COVID-19 or severe MIS-C who were compared to a group of healthy control children. Patient demographics, clinical, laboratory data and cytokines profiles were evaluated. Blood samples were collected within 24 h of admission for all enrolled children and on Day 14.
Results:
Twenty-five children with severe COVID-19 and 23 cases with severe MIS-C were included in the study. The biochemical and inflammatory markers tend to be elevated in MIS-C group. There was a significant difference between studied cases and the control group in the following cytokines: G-CSF, IL-10, HMGB1, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and INF-gamma (P < 0.05). While there was a significant difference between severe COVID-19 and MIS-C groups in the following cytokines at Day 1 of admission; IL-10, IL-6, IL-8 and INF-gamma; while at Day 14, there was a significant difference only for G-CSF, IL-10 and IL-6, all other cytokines were comparable.
Conclusion:
Our study underpinned patterns of cytokine response in severe COVID-19 and MIS-C. There is a significant upregulation in pro-inflammatory cytokines (mainly G-CSF, IL-10, HMGB1, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and INF-gamma). These biomarkers that could imply on the severity rating and treatment strategies, should be preferentially assessed in SARS-CoV-2 associated immunological events.
