One day Long Covid in children could be objectively diagnosed with a blood test, thanks to the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In fact, a study by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome campus – Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS and the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, has highlighted the molecular signature of Long Covid in plasma in pediatric age and used an AI tool capable of making the diagnosis based on the results of the blood sample, with 93% accuracy.
The study was published in the journal ‘Pediatric Research‘, by Nature Group, and was led by Dr. Danilo Buonsenso, researcher in general and specialist paediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the Catholic University and paediatrician at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Operative Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, together with Dr. Nicola Cotugno, at the Complex Operative Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology of the Bambino Gesù IRCCS Paediatric Hospital.
The study involved, among others, Dr. Piero Valentini, researcher in General and Specialist Paediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the Catholic University and director of the Paediatric Infectious Diseases Operative Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, and Dr. Paolo Palma, head of the Complex Operative Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS.
Background
Long Covid affects on average 0.5% of pediatric patients exposed to SARS-CoV-2. This condition, also known as Post COVID or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, is characterized by the persistence of