AI blood test shows promise for diagnosing Long Covid in children

A new study suggests that Long Covid in children could be diagnosed with a blood test using Artificial Intelligence. Researchers identified a specific molecular signature in the blood of pediatric patients, achieving 93% accuracy in diagnosis. The study involved 112 young participants, including those with Long Covid, active infections, and healthy controls. It found that children with Long Covid had higher levels of certain inflammatory proteins compared to the control groups. This research indicates that Long Covid in children has a distinct protein signature, similar to findings in adults. The results may lead to a routine blood test for timely diagnosis and treatment of pediatric Long Covid.