Coronavirus-related disease in children causes 'significant changes' in white blood cells

While the coronavirus outbreak has continued to tighten its grip across the world, a new study has revealed that COVID-19-related disease causes ‘significant changes’ in white blood cells in children. According to the research by the University of Birmingham, paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporarily associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS) is a new disease occurring among the children and shares some similarities with Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome. 

The study said, "A newly-described disease occurring in children and linked to COVID-19 has significant changes in white blood cells – a discovery that may allow doctors to better assess their young patients’ condition and predict their resistance to current treatments, a new study reveals."

Based on the examination of blood samples acquired by the children admitted with the diseases to Birmingham Children’s Hospital during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown, the researchers discovered large changed in the monocytes which are a type of white blood cells in patients of COVID-19 related disease and Kawasaki’s Disease. The findings of the study conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, scientists and healthcare experts from the UK and Ireland have been published as a preprint paper on medRxiv. 

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‘First study’ to reveal changes in monocytes

Co-lead author of the study Dr Graham Taylor from the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy at the University of Birmingham has said that it is the ‘first study’ to reveal that both Kawasaki’s Disease and PIMS-TS are characterised by notable changes in monocytes. Taylor commented that the information acquired by the study are ‘highly relevant’ to not only predict the disease resistance of children with the PIMS-TS but also to identify alternative therapies for both diseases. 

Dr Graham Taylor commented, “Our study is the first to reveal that Kawasaki’s Disease and PIMS-TS are both characterised by profound changes in the numbers of monocytes and their genetic make-up.”

“Our results require confirmation in a larger patient cohort, but the changes we have observed are likely to be highly relevant – potentially allowing us to predict the disease resistance of children with PIMS-TS and Kawasaki’s Disease, as well as identifying alternative therapies for both diseases.”

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