VEGF-D Linked To Severity In Pediatric COVID-19 And MIS-C

08 Jul 20264 min read0 viewsJournal Feed

GIST (Key Takeaways)

IntroductionIn recent years, vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) has been recognized as a promising biomarker for disease severity stratification in coronavirus disease, as well as an indicator of endothelial dysfunction, hypoxia, and pathological angiogenesis − all of which are hallmarks of severe COVID-19. However, there is limited evidence on the specific role of VEGF-D in children with COVID-19, and its relevance in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has not been thoroughly explored.
Methods. This study included 200 children with confirmed COVID-19 (through PCR or rapid antigen test), 40 children with MIS-C, and 24 healthy children without SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Serum VEGF-D concentrations, acute-phase markers (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin), and interleukin levels (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with commercial kits. Results.
The results showed that VEGF-D levels were significantly higher in children with COVID-19 (325.61 (189.93; 535.85) pg/ml) and MIS-C (920.92 (473.45; 1157.70) pg/ml) compared with the control group (195.88 (115.58; 256.70) pg/ml), with the highest levels observed in patients with MIS-C and severe COVID-19.

Clinical Editorial

Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 08 Jul 2026.

The item focuses on Diagnostic performance of vascular endothelial growth factor D in severity stratification of pediatric COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

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