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Differences in immune function and cytokine levels among children in different age groups with severe
Liping Li1, Yuanzhe Li2, Yangji Wang1
1Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Infection and Critical Care, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, No.1, South University Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
Insights
Immune responses in children with severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) largely mirror healthy children, but younger patients show distinct trends in NK cells, complement 4, and higher IL-8 and IL-10 levels, indicating increased risk.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) poses a significant health risk to children.
- Understanding age-related immune variations is crucial for assessing SCAP severity and mortality risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze immune function and cytokine profiles in children with SCAP across different age groups.
- To identify immunological factors associated with increased SCAP severity and mortality in younger children.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of immune cell percentages (T lymphocytes, B cells, NK cells) and immunoglobulin/complement levels in SCAP patients versus healthy children.
- Assessment of age-related trends and correlations for specific immune markers and cytokines (IL-8, IL-10).
Main Results:
- Age-related immune marker trends (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells, B cells, IgG, IgA, C3) in SCAP children were similar to healthy controls.
- Natural killer (NK) cell percentages and complement 4 (C4) levels showed different age-related trends in SCAP compared to healthy children.
- Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were negatively correlated with age in SCAP patients, with higher levels in younger children.
Conclusions:
- Immune function changes with age in SCAP patients closely resemble those in healthy children.
- Younger age of onset in SCAP correlates with higher incidence and potential for disease exacerbation.
- Elevated IL-8 and IL-10 in younger SCAP patients may contribute to increased disease severity and mortality risk.
Abstract:
The aim of this study is to examine the variations in immune function and cytokine profiles among children with severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) across different age groups, and to investigate the immunological factors contributing to the increased risk of severe illness and mortality in younger children. The study found that age-related trends in CD3 + T lymphocytes (%), CD4 + T lymphocytes (%), CD8 + T lymphocytes (%), CD4+/CD8 + T cell ratio, B cells (%), immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and complement 3 (C3) in children with SCAP were similar to those observed in healthy children. However, the trends for natural killer(NK) cells (%) and complement 4(C4) in children with SCAP differed from those in healthy children. Additionally, immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in children with SCAP showed no correlation with age, and no consistent age-related trend was observed in healthy children. Moreover, Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were negatively correlated with age in children with SCAP, while age-related trends for these cytokines in healthy children have not been documented. Overall, most of our findings align with existing data on healthy children. This study reveals that the age-related changes in immune function observed in healthy children closely resemble those seen in children with SCAP. This suggests that the age-dependent nature of immune function in children not only correlates with a higher incidence rate among younger populations but may also indicate that an earlier age of onset is associated with a greater likelihood of disease exacerbation. Furthermore, it was noted that the younger the age of onset, the higher the levels of IL-10 and IL-8 in peripheral blood.
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