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‹ Thu · 23 Apr 2026
Underserved or high-risk populations

Endovascular profiles linked to neutrophil activation in children and young adults with long COVID

Children with long COVID show blood clots and immune markers linked to heart complications, offering potential diagnostic targets.

Children and young adults with long COVID show elevated microclots, NET-associated cfDNA, and endothelial injury markers, with in vitro evidence implicating Spike-mediated NETosis as a driver of endovascular pathology. This understudied pediatric population data identifies microclots + neutrophil activation as potential diagnostic biomarkers for long COVID cardiovascular complications.

What the study was

Study design
Case-control study
Population
Children and young adults ≤25 years; 61 long COVID, 23 healthy controls; US and Canada
Sample size
84
Category
Diagnostics
Maturity
Exploratory
Journal
Pediatric Research

Why it surfaced

Pediatric long COVID endovascular mechanism study; cfDNA as NET biomarker is watchlist-adjacent; addresses understudied pediatric population.

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