New Blood Test Could Revolutionize Long COVID Diagnosis in Children

Researchers have made significant strides in identifying a molecular 'fingerprint' for long COVID in children's blood, paving the way for an objective diagnostic test. A study conducted by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome, alongside the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS and Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, revealed that artificial intelligence could accurately diagnose long COVID in pediatric patients based on blood samples, achieving an impressive accuracy rate of 93%.

This groundbreaking research, published in the journal Pediatric Research, was led by a team of experts including pediatricians and immunologists. The study analyzed blood samples from 112 young individuals aged between 0 and 19 years. Of these, 34 had been clinically diagnosed with long COVID, while others included those currently infected, those suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C), and healthy controls.

Long COVID, also referred to as Post COVID or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, manifests as lingering symptoms lasting eight to twelve weeks after initial infection. It is estimated that approximately 0.5% of children who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience long COVID symptoms, which can significantly impact their daily lives. Interestingly, children over the age of 10 appear to be the most affected, regardless of the severity of their initial illness.

Prior to this study, while there was evidence of long COVID symptoms in adults, similar findings in children were sparse. The researchers focused on the blood protein components, or proteomics, in the samples analyzed. They found a notable increase in certain pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic chemokines in the plasma of children diagnosed with long COVID compared to healthy peers. These chemokines included CXCL11, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL6, CXCL8, TNFSF11, OSM, and STAMBP1a.

Using an AI model that relied on proteomic profiling, the study successfully identified long COVID with high specificity and sensitivity rates. The findings indicated a unique protein signature associated with long COVID in children, characterized by elevated levels of inflammation and changes in blood vessel walls, mirroring patterns observed in adult cases.

The implications of this discovery are profound, suggesting the potential development of a straightforward blood test for diagnosing long COVID in children. Such a test could significantly enhance the timely and effective management of pediatric patients suffering from this condition. Dr. Nicola Cotugno, involved in the research, emphasized the importance of the immunological data produced, stating it could inform future therapeutic target identification for clinical trials focused on pediatric long COVID.

Moreover, Dr. Danilo Buonsenso urged for increased funding to explore optimal therapeutic approaches for managing long COVID in children, reinforcing the notion that this condition is a legitimate immune-mediated disease.

As researchers continue to investigate the long-term effects of COVID-19, this study marks a crucial step toward understanding and addressing the challenges of long COVID in younger populations.