Description
Objective: while SARS-CoV-2 generally induces mild symptoms in pediatric populations, emerging evidence indicates that persistent immunopathological alterations may contribute to the development of long COVID. Despite ongoing inquiries into the clinical manifestations and progression of long COVID, there remains a significant gap in mechanistic understanding. Recent investigations within pediatric cohorts have highlighted the involvement of the interferon (IFN) pathway in immunopathological changes occurring 3 to 6 months post-recovery from symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.Materials and Methods: this cross-sectional study encompasses a pediatric population where an online diagnostic tool is utilized following laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to conduct an initial screening for long COVID. Participants meeting the established criteria for long COVID undergo further evaluation in person using the validated International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) tool. Children who have fully recovered from acute COVID-19 infection serve as the control group. Multiplex analysis of serum inflammatory mediators, including IL-29, IFN-α2, IFN-β, IFN-28β, and IFN-γ, is conducted.
Results: utilizing the online screening tool, a total of 220 children under 18 years have been identified experiencing long COVID. Laboratory data from 14 patients in the control group and 19 patients with long COVID were analyzed. Preliminary findings from our immune modulator assessment indicate that concentrations of IFN-α2 and IFN-γ are elevated in the long COVID cohort compared to controls, with IFN-α2 levels measuring 38.76 pg/ml in the long COVID group versus 20.12 pg/ml in the control group, and IFN-β levels at 30.31 pg/ml in the long COVID group compared to 27.67 pg/ml in the control group.
Conclusion: preliminary data of the comparative analysis of laboratory data reveals that children experiencing long COVID exhibit elevated concentrations of immune modulators, IFN-α2 and IFN-γ, when contrasted with a control group of fully recovered patients. These findings suggest a potential role of the IFN pathway in the pathophysiology of long COVID in pediatric populations.
| Period | 27 Mar 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | RSU Research week 2025 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Organiser | Rīga Stradiņš University |
| Location | Rīga, LatviaShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |