COVID-19 Inflammatory Markers and Vitamin D Relationship in Pediatric Patients
Iulia Cristina Bagiu,
Ileana Luminita Scurtu,
Delia Ioana Horhat,
Ion Cristian Mot,
Razvan Mihai Horhat,
Radu Vasile Bagiu,
Ionut Dragos Capraru,
Mircea Mihai Diaconu,
Ovidiu Adam,
Bogdan Ciornei,
Dan Dumitru Vulcanescu,
Iulius Juganaru,
Andrei-Cristian Bondar,
Florin George Horhat
Affiliations
Iulia Cristina Bagiu
Emergency Hospital for Children “Louis Turcanu”, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
Ileana Luminita Scurtu
Faculty of Medicine, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, Rebreanu 86, 310414 Arad, Romania
Delia Ioana Horhat
ENT Department, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Ion Cristian Mot
ENT Department, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Razvan Mihai Horhat
3rd Department, Discipline of Odontotherapy and Endodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, TADERP Research Center, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Radu Vasile Bagiu
Department of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine Study Center, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Ionut Dragos Capraru
Department of Parasitology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Mircea Mihai Diaconu
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Ovidiu Adam
Emergency Hospital for Children “Louis Turcanu”, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
Bogdan Ciornei
Emergency Hospital for Children “Louis Turcanu”, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
Dan Dumitru Vulcanescu
Emergency Hospital for Children “Louis Turcanu”, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
Iulius Juganaru
Department XI, First Discipline of Pediatrics, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Sq. No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Andrei-Cristian Bondar
Psychiatry Hospital “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia”, Soseaua Berceni 10, 041914 Bucuresti, Romania
Florin George Horhat
Emergency Hospital for Children “Louis Turcanu”, 300011 Timisoara, Romania
Background: Biomarkers play an important role in COVID-19, and more research in this regard is needed, especially in the case of children. This study aimed to look for a link between the C reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), vitamin D and COVID-19 in pediatric patients. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study, performed on children diagnosed positively with COVID-19 at a children’s hospital in western Romania. Available CRP, LDH, CK vitamin D and clinical severity were recorded. For each biomarker, groups were formed by patients’ age. Mean/median group differences were assessed using Student’s t test or Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn’s post hoc tests. Association was assessed using the chi2 test, while correlation was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: 181 positive children were studied between 1 August 2021 and 1 February 2022. Average age was 8.76 years (SD = 3.93). There were 94 (51.93%) males and 87 (48.07%) females. The cases were: 62 asymptomatic (34.25%), 107 mild (59.12%), 9 moderate (4.97%), 3 severe (1.66%). Regarding CRP, a significant difference between older and younger patients was observed (p = 0.0034). Clinical severity was associated with CRP (p = 0.0281), LDH (p = 0.0410) and vitamin D (p = 0.0444). Regarding CK, no differences or associations proved significant. Correlation testing was conducted for CRP, LDH, vitamin D and clinical signs. With the exception of LDH-CRP and LDH-vitamin D, all relationships proved statistically significant. Conclusions: CRP, LDH and vitamin D levels are important biomarkers for COVID-19-positive pediatric patients, while CK was mostly within normal ranges.
