Effects of lymphocyte, C-reactive protein and prealbumin levels on clinical typing and course of disease in children infected with novel coronavirus.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of lymphocyte (LY), C-reactive protein (CRP) and prealbumin (PA) levels on the clinical typing and course of disease in children infected with novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) at the early stage. Methods: A total of 140 children with 2019-nCoV infection diagnosed in Shijiazhuang People's Hospital and Hebei Provincial Chest Hospital from January 2021 to February 2021 were selected for this study. According to the clinical symptoms, laboratory results and imaging examination, the children were divided into asymptomatic infection group, mild infection group and common infection group. The levels of white blood cell (WBC), LY, CRP, PA, albumin (ALB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CKMB) in the children were recorded on the 2nd d after the positive detection of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid. Results: There were 73(52.1%) children in the asymptomatic infection group, 35(25.0%) children in the mild infection group and 32(22.9%) children in the common infection group. LY level in the common infection group was lower than that in the asymptomatic infection group and the mild infection group (F= 3.152, both p< 0.05). CRP level in the common infection group was higher than that in the asymptomatic infection group and the mild infection group (F= 6.343, both p< 0.05). CRP level in the mild infection group was higher than that in the asymptomatic infection group (t= 2.052, p< 0.05). PA level in the common infection group and the mild infection group was lower compared with the asymptomatic infection group (F= 5.229, both p< 0.05). WBC, ALB, AST, ALT, CK and CKMB levels in the three groups showed no statistical significance (F= 1.803, F= 1.208, F= 2.391, F= 1.973, F= 0.401, F= 1.332, respectively, all p> 0.05). Correlation analysis demonstrated that LY and PA levels were negatively correlated with hospital stay (r= -0.265, r= -0.325, both p< 0.050), but CRP level was not correlated with hospital stay (r= -0.039, p> 0.05). Conclusion: CRP is correlated with the clinical typing of children with 2019-nCoV infection, while LY and PA levels may be closely correlated with the clinical typing and course of treatment of children with 2019-nCoV infection.

[Changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)D3] level in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) and its clinical significance. METHODS: A total of 92 HSP children were included in this study, and were divided into HSP nephritis (HSPN) group (31 cases) and HSP group (61 cases) based on the presence or absence of HSPN. Alternatively, the patients were divided into purpura alone group (22 cases), purpura with joint symptoms group (joint symptom group, 24 cases), purpura with gastrointestinal symptoms group (gastrointestinal symptom group, 20 cases), and purpura with joint and gastrointestinal symptoms (mixed group, 26 cases) based on their clinical symptoms. In addition, 42 healthy children were selected as healthy control group. The level of 25-(OH)D3 in each group was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay. RESULTS: The 25-(OH)D3 level in the HSP and HSPN groups was significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (P<0.05), and the 25-(OH)D3 level in the HSPN group was significantly lower than that in the HSP group (P<0.05). Although there was no significant difference in the 25-(OH)D3 level between the joint symptom, gastrointestinal symptom, and mixed groups (P=0.22), the 25-(OH)D3 level in the three groups was all significantly lower than that in the purpura alone group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The level of 25-(OH)D3 is reduced in children with HSP, particularly those with HSPN or with joint and gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, the reduction in 25-(OH)D3 level may serve as a predictor of whether HSP is associated with other impairments.

[Changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level and its significance in children with Kawasaki disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)D3] and its significance in children with Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: The clinical data of 242 KD children were collected. According to the presence or absence of coronary artery lesion (CAL), these children were classified into CAL group (63 children) and non-CAL (NCAL) group (179 children). According to the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), these children were classified into IVIG-sensitive group (219 children) and no-IVIG-response group (23 children). A total of 40 healthy children (control group) and 40 children with acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURI group) were enrolled as controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to measure the serum level of 25-(OH)D3. RESULTS: Before IVIG treatment, the AURI, NCAL, and CAL groups had significantly lower serum levels of 25-(OH)D3 than the control group (P<0.05); the CAL group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the AURI and NCAL groups (P<0.05); the AURI, IVIG-sensitive, and no-IVIG-response groups had significantly lower serum levels of 25-(OH)D3 than the control group (P<0.05); the no-IVIG-response group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the AURI and IVIG-sensitive groups (P<0.05). After IVIG treatment, the CAL group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the NCAL and control groups (P<0.05); the no-IVIG-response group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the IVIG-sensitive and control groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: KD children may experience a reduction in the serum level of 25-(OH)D3. With a greater reduction in the serum level of 25-(OH)D3, the possibility of CAL and KD with no response to treatment increases.

[Serum hydrogen sulfide levels in children with benign infantile convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes and significance of serum hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels in children with benign infantile convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis (BICE). METHODS: Forty-two hospitalized children diagnosed with BICE were recruited to the observation group, and 46 children admitted due to acute gastroenteritis alone were recruited to the control group. Serum H2S levels were measured by a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The serum H2S level in the observation group was significantly lower than in the control group (28±12 µmol/L vs 45±10 µmol/L; P<0.01). The patients with a number of convulsions greater than or equal to two had significantly lower serum H2S levels than those with a number less than two (P<0.05). The number of convulsions was negatively correlated with serum H2S level in BICE patients (r=-0.485, P=0.001). When a convulsion exceeded 5 minues in duration, the duration was negatively correlated with serum H2S level (r=-0.736, P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in endogenous H2S level might be one of the causes of convulsions in BICE patients. The degree of reduction in H2S level is associated with the number of convulsions and the duration of convulsion (when it exceeds 5 minues). Further investigation is needed to determine the clinical significance of these results.