How does the placenta protect unborn babies from COVID-19?
Evidence has shown that pregnancy is a risk factor for severe illness in women with COVID-19. A recent CDC study reviewed case reports of approximately 400,000 women aged 15 to 44 with symptomatic COVID-19. Those who were pregnant had a roughly tripled likelihood of ICU admission and invasive ventilation and 70 percent higher mortality. Yet ... Read More
COVID-19 virus levels in children: Differences between asymptomatic vs. symptomatic kids
A new study finds that most asymptomatic children who tested positive for COVID-19 had lower levels of the virus compared to symptomatic children. While it is the first large and comprehensive investigation of its kind in asymptomatic children, several important questions remain unanswered. Nira Pollock “Our study did show that asymptomatic children had lower viral ... Read More
A diabetes drug with a potential side benefit: Reduced COVID-19 mortality
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug sitagliptin to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Now, a multicenter observational study in Italy suggests the drug also cuts mortality in diabetic patients hospitalized with COVID-19 — by as much as half. Paolo Fiorina, MD, PhD, of Boston Children’s Hospital led the study, ... Read More
Global partnership leads to improved treatment for childhood diarrhea
Diarrheal diseases remain a major childhood health problem in many parts of the world. Each year, they lead to the deaths of more than 500,000 children under age 5 globally. A new large clinical trial based in Tanzania and India, led by investigators at Boston Children’s Hospital, local research universities, and the World Health Organization ... Read More
Two drugs join forces against COVID-19
Two drugs, including one developed by a researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 in tests of human cells. Both drugs, vacuolin-1 and apilimod, originally developed years ago, target a large enzyme called PIKfyve kinase. Prior to this study, little was known about this enzyme’s role in COVID-19 infection. Details ... Read More
More details on MIS-C, the post-COVID multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children
Boston Children’s Hospital and collaborators launched the national Overcoming COVID-19 study in April to track children, teens, and young adults hospitalized with COVID-19 across the U.S. In yesterday’s New England Journal of Medicine, investigators provides a fuller picture of the still-mysterious, life-threatening multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Key takeaways· The largest case series of ... Read More