Age-related immune response disparities between adults and children with severe COVID-19: a case–control study in China
Hongliang Chen, Yuan Li, Liping Yuan, Fen Liu, Qian Sun, Qingkai Luo, Yefei Lei, Yinglan Hou, Jiayan Li, Liang Cai, Shixing Tang
TL;DR
This study compares immune responses in adults and children with severe COVID-19 in China, finding significant differences that could inform treatment approaches.
Contribution
The study identifies age-related disparities in immune responses and cytokine profiles in severe COVID-19 patients using a case–control design with propensity score matching.
Findings
Adults with severe COVID-19 showed lymphocyte exhaustion, elevated NEU/LYM ratio, and cytokine storm markers like IL-6 and TNF-α.
Children exhibited distinct systemic immune responses compared to adults, suggesting different disease mechanisms.
Propensity score matching helped mitigate confounding factors, revealing clear immune response disparities between age groups.
Abstract
Elucidation of immune response differences is critical for uncovering underlying mechanisms and developing potential intervention measures among adults and children with COVID-19. In this retrospective study, we analyzed serum biochemical markers and cytokine profiles among adults and children with COVID-19 in the First People’s Hospital of Chenzhou in Hunan, China from 1 December 2022 to 13 February 2023. A case–control study was conducted using propensity score matching (PSM) to mitigate possible confounding factors. The significant differences observed included lymphocyte exhaustion, an increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NEU/LYM) ratio, high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), and a cytokine storm, characterized by high levels of Th1 proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, interferon type I (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) in the lung…
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Taxonomy
TopicsCOVID-19 Clinical Research Studies · Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 · SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research