Impaired Treg Response and Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction in Children Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Abstract

In a preliminary cohort of children recovering from asymptomatic or mild coronavirus disease 2019, subclinical cardiac contractility alterations were associated with reduced regulatory T cells, shorter telomeres and elevated inflammatory markers 3 months post-infection. These findings suggest that immune dysregulation may contribute to silent post-coronavirus disease 2019 cardiac dysfunction and warrant confirmation in larger cohorts with long-term follow-up.

Keywords: cardiac contractility alterations; children; immune profile; post-COVID; speckle-tracking echocardiography.