tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Pediatr Infect Dis J
. 2025 Apr 28.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004786. Online ahead of print. Long-term Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Children's Vasculature
Dareilena Karaviti[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marietta Charakida[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dimitra Dimopoulou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Antonios Marmarinos[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Maria Papadaki[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Despoina Maritsi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nikos Spyridis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Margaritis Avgeris[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Dimitrios Gourgiotis[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Maria Tsolia[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: While long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is linked to prolonged vascular dysfunction in adults, research in children remains poor. In this study, we assessed vascular health in children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 about 6.8 months postinfection, comparing them with healthy controls.
Methods: Two hundred twenty-three children were assessed and divided into group 1, which included children with a positive disease history and group 2, which consisted of healthy controls. Anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, biomarkers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule) and long COVID symptoms were assessed, along with pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) to evaluate aortic stiffness.
Results: Children in group 1 were older (mean age: 10.8 ± 3.2 years vs. 8.5 ± 2.8 years, P < 0.001) and had higher body mass index (20.3 ± 5.6 kg/m2 vs. 18.4 ± 3.5 kg/m2, P < 0.001). PWV was increased in group 1 (5.02 ± 0.7 m/s vs. 4.7 ± 0.6, P < 0.001). However, vascular differences between the groups disappeared after adjusting for age, body mass index, and blood pressure. Soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 levels were elevated in children with a history of moderate/severe COVID-19 infection compared with controls (555.8 ± 113.2 ng/mL vs. 428 ± 42.6 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Cholesterol levels, inflammatory markers and cIMT were comparable between groups. Long COVID symptoms were reported mainly by participants of group 1 [34 (23.6%) vs. 3 (3.8%), P < 0.001].
Conclusions: This study demonstrates insights into the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection in children. Evidence of endothelial activation without structural arterial changes was found. Persistent inflammation postinfection was absent, yet approximately one-quarter of the participants experienced long COVID symptoms, indicating potential differences in the pathophysiology of postacute COVID-19 infection in childhood.
Keywords: COVID-19; carotid intima-media thickness; intracellular adhesion molecule-1; long COVID; pediatric; pulse wave velocity.
. 2025 Apr 28.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004786. Online ahead of print. Long-term Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Children's Vasculature
Dareilena Karaviti[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marietta Charakida[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dimitra Dimopoulou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Antonios Marmarinos[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Maria Papadaki[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Despoina Maritsi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nikos Spyridis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Margaritis Avgeris[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Dimitrios Gourgiotis[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Maria Tsolia[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40294329
- DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004786
Background: While long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is linked to prolonged vascular dysfunction in adults, research in children remains poor. In this study, we assessed vascular health in children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 about 6.8 months postinfection, comparing them with healthy controls.
Methods: Two hundred twenty-three children were assessed and divided into group 1, which included children with a positive disease history and group 2, which consisted of healthy controls. Anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, biomarkers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule) and long COVID symptoms were assessed, along with pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) to evaluate aortic stiffness.
Results: Children in group 1 were older (mean age: 10.8 ± 3.2 years vs. 8.5 ± 2.8 years, P < 0.001) and had higher body mass index (20.3 ± 5.6 kg/m2 vs. 18.4 ± 3.5 kg/m2, P < 0.001). PWV was increased in group 1 (5.02 ± 0.7 m/s vs. 4.7 ± 0.6, P < 0.001). However, vascular differences between the groups disappeared after adjusting for age, body mass index, and blood pressure. Soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 levels were elevated in children with a history of moderate/severe COVID-19 infection compared with controls (555.8 ± 113.2 ng/mL vs. 428 ± 42.6 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Cholesterol levels, inflammatory markers and cIMT were comparable between groups. Long COVID symptoms were reported mainly by participants of group 1 [34 (23.6%) vs. 3 (3.8%), P < 0.001].
Conclusions: This study demonstrates insights into the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection in children. Evidence of endothelial activation without structural arterial changes was found. Persistent inflammation postinfection was absent, yet approximately one-quarter of the participants experienced long COVID symptoms, indicating potential differences in the pathophysiology of postacute COVID-19 infection in childhood.
Keywords: COVID-19; carotid intima-media thickness; intracellular adhesion molecule-1; long COVID; pediatric; pulse wave velocity.