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Geis, Tobias ; Brandstetter, Susanne ; Toncheva, Antoaneta A. ; Laub, Otto ; Leipold, Georg ; Wagner, Ralf ; Kabesch, Michael ; Kasser, Severin ; Kuhle, Jens ; Wellmann, Sven

Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) values in a large cross-sectional population of children with asymptomatic to moderate COVID-19

Geis, Tobias, Brandstetter, Susanne, Toncheva, Antoaneta A. , Laub, Otto, Leipold, Georg, Wagner, Ralf, Kabesch, Michael, Kasser, Severin, Kuhle, Jens and Wellmann, Sven (2021) Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) values in a large cross-sectional population of children with asymptomatic to moderate COVID-19. Journal of Neurology 268, pp. 3969-3974.

Date of publication of this fulltext: 28 Apr 2021 05:17
Article
DOI to cite this document: 10.5283/epub.45598


Abstract

Background Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) is an established biomarker of neuro-axonal damage in multiple neurological disorders. Raised sNfL levels have been reported in adults infected with pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Levels in children infected with COVID-19 have not as yet been reported. Objective To evaluate whether sNfL is elevated in children contracting COVID-19. ...

Background Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) is an established biomarker of neuro-axonal damage in multiple neurological disorders. Raised sNfL levels have been reported in adults infected with pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Levels in children infected with COVID-19 have not as yet been reported. Objective To evaluate whether sNfL is elevated in children contracting COVID-19. Methods Between May 22 and July 22, 2020, a network of outpatient pediatricians in Bavaria, Germany, the Coronavirus antibody screening in children from Bavaria study network (CoKiBa), recruited healthy children into a cross-sectional study from two sources: an ongoing prevention program for 1-14 years, and referrals of 1-17 years consulting a pediatrician for possible infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We determined sNfL levels by single molecule array immunoassay and SARS-CoV-2 antibody status by two independent quantitative methods. Results Of the 2652 included children, 148 (5.6%) were SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive with asymptomatic to moderate COVID-19 infection. Neurological symptoms-headache, dizziness, muscle aches, or loss of smell and taste-were present in 47/148 cases (31.8%). Mean sNfL levels were 5.5 pg/ml (SD 2.9) in the total cohort, 5.1 (SD 2.1) pg/ml in the children with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and 5.5 (SD 3.0) pg/ml in those without. Multivariate regression analysis revealed age-but neither antibody status, antibody levels, nor clinical severity-as an independent predictor of sNfL. Follow-up of children with pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (n = 14) showed no association with sNfL. Conclusions In this population study, children with asymptomatic to moderate COVID-19 showed no neurochemical evidence of neuronal damage.



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Details

Item typeArticle
Journal or Publication TitleJournal of Neurology
Publisher:SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
Place of Publication:HEIDELBERG
Volume:268
Page Range:pp. 3969-3974
Date23 April 2021
InstitutionsMedicine > Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin
Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene
Identification Number
ValueType
10.1007/s00415-021-10554-1DOI
Keywords; COVID-19; Children; Brain; Neurology; Neurofilament
Dewey Decimal Classification600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine
StatusPublished
RefereedYes, this version has been refereed
Created at the University of RegensburgPartially
URN of the UB Regensburgurn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-455983
Item ID45598

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