The causal connection between serum biomarkers and COVID-19 severity or pathogenicity in children is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe clinical and immunological features of children affected by COVID-19. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether these cytokines could predict severity of COVID-19. All children (aged 0−18) admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Department and tested with nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 were recruited and assigned to three groups: COVID-19, other infections, control group. Clinical and laboratory data of these patients, including circulating cytokine levels, were analyzed in three groups. Fever was the most frequent symptom in COVID-19 (67.3%). Neutropenia was found in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.05); no difference was observed for lymphocyte counts in the three groups. Higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were found in the COVID-19 group compared to other infections and control groups (p = 0.014 and p = 0.001, respectively). Whereas, in the COVID-19 group, no difference was observed as for the same cytokines among sub-groups of different disease severity (p = 0.7 and p = 0.8). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were higher in COVID-19 children than in children with other infectious diseases, but those levels did not correlate with disease severity. Clinical studies in a large pediatric population are necessary to better define the role of the immune-mediated response in SARS-CoV-2 infections in children.

Curatola, A., Chiaretti, A., Ferretti, S., Bersani, G., Lucchetti, D., Capossela, L., Sgambato, A., Gatto, A., Cytokine response to sars-cov-2 infection in children, <<VIRUSES>>, 2021; 13 (9): 1868-N/A. [doi:10.3390/v13091868] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/205241]

Cytokine response to sars-cov-2 infection in children

Chiaretti, Antonio;Ferretti, Serena;Bersani, Giuseppe;Lucchetti, Donatella;Capossela, Lavinia;Sgambato, Alessandro;Gatto, Antonio
2021

Abstract

The causal connection between serum biomarkers and COVID-19 severity or pathogenicity in children is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe clinical and immunological features of children affected by COVID-19. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether these cytokines could predict severity of COVID-19. All children (aged 0−18) admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Department and tested with nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 were recruited and assigned to three groups: COVID-19, other infections, control group. Clinical and laboratory data of these patients, including circulating cytokine levels, were analyzed in three groups. Fever was the most frequent symptom in COVID-19 (67.3%). Neutropenia was found in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.05); no difference was observed for lymphocyte counts in the three groups. Higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were found in the COVID-19 group compared to other infections and control groups (p = 0.014 and p = 0.001, respectively). Whereas, in the COVID-19 group, no difference was observed as for the same cytokines among sub-groups of different disease severity (p = 0.7 and p = 0.8). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were higher in COVID-19 children than in children with other infectious diseases, but those levels did not correlate with disease severity. Clinical studies in a large pediatric population are necessary to better define the role of the immune-mediated response in SARS-CoV-2 infections in children.
2021
Inglese
Curatola, A., Chiaretti, A., Ferretti, S., Bersani, G., Lucchetti, D., Capossela, L., Sgambato, A., Gatto, A., Cytokine response to sars-cov-2 infection in children, <<VIRUSES>>, 2021; 13 (9): 1868-N/A. [doi:10.3390/v13091868] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/205241]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/205241
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