To predict severity of COVID-19 in children, researchers collect sputum

Researchers are studying whether certain biomarkers in saliva can help predict the severity of COVID-19 in children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. While most children infected with COVID-19 usually have mild illness, some face serious complications like heart inflammation or respiratory failure.

The team of scientists at Penn State College of Medicine and Wayne State University are collecting saliva samples from 400 COVID-19 patients aged 18 and under seeking emergency care at two children’s hospitals, the group wrote pediatrics in a statement released Thursday. The results will be presented at the 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics National Virtual Conference and Exhibition.

“The use of saliva to predict the severity of infection is non-invasive and painless,” Dr. Usha Sethuraman, study author and professor of pediatrics at Central Michigan University, said in the release. “If it works, saliva can be a game-changer in children who find it both difficult and painful to get blood. “

Sethuraman noted that there are no established biomarkers to predict disease progression in children exposed to COVID-19.

Researchers are specifically studying cytokines and microRNAs, or biomarkers believed to control inflammation in the body during infection. Early analysis in 150 children indicated elevated levels of two cytokines (MIG and CXCL-10) in those with severe COVID-19 compared to those without a severe course of COVID-19 disease, as well as altered microRNA levels , most of which were reported to be “considerably lower” in children with severe infection.