Cardiovascular system damage in children with COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose - to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of the E-selectin marker in relation to manifestations of damage to the cardiovascular system in children with COVID-19. Materials and methods. We conducted a cohort, observational, retrospective study involving 88 patients aged 1 month to 18 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 by polymerase chain reaction. The children were hospitalized in Kyiv City Children’s Clinical Infectious Disease Hospital. We divided the examined cohort into two groups according to the course of the disease - the main group, which included 42 patients with a complicated course of COVID-19, and the control group - 46 patients with an uncomplicated course of the disease. In the study, we took into account the data of ECG, patient complaints and clinical symptoms. During the comprehensive examination of the patients on the first day of their stay in the hospital, the blood serum of the patients was collected for the purpose of its further examination for the level of E-selectin by enzyme immunoassay. Statistical, analytical methods and the method of empirical research were used in the research. To calculate the obtained results, we used the statistical program “Statistical software EZR v. 1.54”. Results. In patients of the control group, E-selectin was observed at the level of 12.02±1.7 ng/ml, while in the children of the main one, the indicator was higher, it was 15.04±1.9 ng/ml (p=0.034). According to the assessment of the prognostic value, we found that an increase in the level of E-selectin above 10 ng/ml is associated with a significant increase in the risk of the appearance of clinical symptoms of the cardiovascular system in children with COVID-19 (p<0.05). We also noted a tendency for the marker to grow with objective changes on the ECG. Conclusions. We discovered the diagnostic and prognostic value of the E-selectin marker in children with COVID-19 regarding the manifestations of damage to the cardiovascular system in children with COVID-19. An increase in the level of E-selectin above 10 ng/ml is associated with a significant increase in the risk of the appearance of clinical symptoms of damage to the cardiovascular system (p<0.05) and objective changes during instrumental examination (p<0.1). The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the participating institution. Written consent from patients was not required, as the study is retrospective and uses data from routine medical records. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.