Characteristics of immune and inflammatory responses among different age groups of pediatric patients with COVID-19 in China.
World J Pediatr
; 17(4): 375-384, 2021 Aug.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1338281
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among pediatric patients are more common in children less than 1 year of age. Our aim is to address the underlying role of immunity and inflammation conditions among different age groups of pediatric patients.METHODS:
We recruited pediatric patients confirmed of moderate COVID-19 symptoms, admitted to Wuhan Children's Hospital from January 28th to April 1st in 2020. Patients were divided into four age groups (≤ 1, 1-6, 7-10, and 11-15 years). Demographic information, clinical characteristics, laboratory results of lymphocyte subsets test, immune and inflammation related markers were all evaluated.RESULTS:
Analysis included 217/241 (90.0%) of patients with moderate clinical stage disease. Average recovery time of children more than 6 years old was significantly shorter than of children younger than 6 years (P = 0.001). Reduced neutrophils and increased lymphocytes were significantly most observed among patients under 1 year old (P < 0.01). CD19+ B cells were the only significantly elevated immune cells, especially among patients under 1 year old (cell proportion n = 12, 30.0%, P < 0.001; cell count n = 13, 32.5%, P < 0.001). While, low levels of immune related makers, such as immunoglobulin (Ig) G (P < 0.001), IgA (P < 0.001), IgM (P < 0.001) and serum complement C3c (P < 0.001), were also mostly found among patients under 1 year old, together with elevated levels of inflammation related markers, such as tumor necrosis factor γ (P = 0.007), interleukin (IL)-10 (P = 0.011), IL-6 (P = 0.008), lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.001), and procalcitonin (P = 0.007).CONCLUSION:
The higher rate of severe cases and long course of COVID-19 among children under 1 year old may be due to the lower production of antibodies and serum complements of in this age group.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
World J Pediatr
Journal subject:
Pediatrics
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S12519-021-00440-1
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