Key result
Children with COVID-19 had plasma serotonin concentrations 20 to 30 times higher than healthy same-age controls, alongside significantly lower 5-HIAA/serotonin ratios.
Why the study?
COVID-19 carries a risk of thrombotic complications, and serotonin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis.
Does COVID-19 infection increase blood serotonin and its metabolite levels in children?
Case-Control (n=72)
Does COVID-19 infection increase blood serotonin and its metabolite levels in children?
Children with COVID-19 have significantly elevated plasma serotonin levels, which may be related to platelet hyperactivation and increased thrombosis risk.
May signal thrombosis risk in pediatric COVID-19; hypothesis-generating for causality and interventions.
COVID-19 has a risk of thrombotic complications. Serotonin plays an important role in pathogenesis of thrombosis. Purpose. To evaluate level of serotonin and its metabolite in the blood of children with COVID-19. Methods. This study included 72 children aged 3 to 17 years. Of these, 43 patients (mean age 11.2 ± 4.8 years) diagnosed with COVID-19 without comorbidities made up the study group, 29 healthy children (mean age 11.8 ± 3.8 years) — the control group. Concentration of serotonin and its metabolite (5-HIAA) in the blood was determined using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Computed tomography data were used to determine severity of lung damage. Results. In our study children with COVID-19 aged 3 to 17 years had significantly higher serotonin and its metabolite levels compared to the control group. Concentration of serotonin in plasma in main group was 20–30 times higher than in the same-age control. The 5-HIAA/serotonin ratio in children with COVID-19 is significantly lower than in the control group. Levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA in children with COVID-19 depending on the severity of CT-scan lung damage showed no significant differences. Conclusion. Serotonin and its metabolite levels in plasma of children with COVID-19 is significantly increased. It may be related to platelet hyperactivation in SARS-CoV-2 infection and increased risk of thrombosis, which requires further research.
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Khusnutdinova et al. (2022) conducted a case-control in COVID-19 (n=72). COVID-19 infection vs. Healthy children was evaluated on Blood serotonin and its metabolite (5-HIAA) concentration. Children with COVID-19 had plasma serotonin concentrations 20 to 30 times higher than healthy same-age controls, alongside significantly lower 5-HIAA/serotonin ratios.
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