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Wright TJ, Sheffield‐Moore M, Pyles RB, Randolph KM, McGovern KA, Danesi CP, Lindsay SE, Zaidan MF, Masel BE, Urban RJ. Growth hormone treatment for neurologic symptoms of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. Clin Transl Sci 2024; 17:e13826. [PMID: 38894576 PMCID: PMC11187940 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, some patients develop lingering neurologic symptoms of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) that commonly include fatigue and "brain fog." PASC symptoms are also linked with reduced growth hormone (GH) secretion, but GH treatment has not been tested to relieve symptoms. We enrolled 13 adults with neurologic PASC symptoms and peak stimulated GH secretion less than 10 ng/mL (glucagon stimulation) in a pilot study to receive 9 months of daily GH injections and an additional 3 months of off-treatment assessment. We compared peak stimulated GH secretion at baseline and 12 months and assessed measures of cognition, metabolism, body composition, and physical performance over the first 6 months of treatment. Patient-reported outcomes of fatigue, quality of life, sleep, and mood were recorded at baseline and compared with timepoints at 6, 9, and 12 months. GH treatment was associated with significantly improved scores for Brief Fatigue Inventory, Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory, Quality of Life Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults, Profile of Mood States, and Beck Depression Inventory-II, with no significant change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Six months of adjunct GH treatment was not associated with significant changes in cognition, body composition, resting energy expenditure, or physical performance. Peak stimulated GH secretion was not altered at 12 months following 9 months of GH treatment. GH treatment significantly improved neurologic symptoms in PASC patients but cognition, sleep, and physical performance were not significantly altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Traver J. Wright
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | | | - Richard B. Pyles
- Department of PediatricsThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Kathleen M. Randolph
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Kristen A. McGovern
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Christopher P. Danesi
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Sarah E. Lindsay
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Mohammed F. Zaidan
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Brent E. Masel
- Department of NeurologyThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
- Centre for Neuro SkillsBakersfieldCaliforniaUSA
| | - Randall J. Urban
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
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2
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Senevirathne TH, Wekking D, Swain JWR, Solinas C, De Silva P. COVID-19: From emerging variants to vaccination. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2024; 76:127-141. [PMID: 38135574 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The vigorous spread of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in the rapid infection of millions of people worldwide and devastation of not only public healthcare, but also social, educational, and economic infrastructures. The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 over time is due to the mutations that occurred in the genome during each replication. These mutated forms of SARS-CoV-2, otherwise known as variants, were categorized as variants of interest (VOI) or variants of concern (VOC) based on the increased risk of transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, decreased effectiveness of current social measures, and available vaccines and therapeutics. The swift development of COVID-19 vaccines has been a great success for biomedical research, and billions of vaccine doses, including boosters, have been administered worldwide. BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech), mRNA-1273 (Moderna), ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca), and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) are the four major COVID-19 vaccines that received early regulatory authorization based on their efficacy. However, some SARS-CoV-2 variants resulted in higher resistance to available vaccines or treatments. It has been four years since the first reported infection of SARS-CoV-2, yet the Omicron variant and its subvariants are still infecting people worldwide. Despite this, COVID-19 vaccines are still expected to be effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the COVID-19 pandemic focused on evolution of VOC and vaccination strategies against them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thilini H Senevirathne
- Faculty of Science, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Demi Wekking
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Cinzia Solinas
- Medical Oncology, AOU Cagliari, P.O. Duilio Casula, Monserrato (CA), Italy.
| | - Pushpamali De Silva
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Karaman F, Genc A, Yerebakan Sen AN, Rashidi M, Yildirim G, Unsal Jafarov G, Acar R, Saygin Sahin B. Effects of love glove application on vital signs for COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit. Nurs Open 2024; 11:e2106. [PMID: 38391100 PMCID: PMC10847619 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.2106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the effects of love glove application on vital signs for COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit. DESIGN A single-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used. TREND Statement Checklist was followed during the present study. METHODS The study was conducted on 30 intubated/extubated adult patients. The gloves were filled with warm water and air to prevent pressure injuries. Then they were tied together and applied to both hands of the patient for 30 min. The patient's vital signs were recorded before and after the application. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed. RESULTS It was determined that respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and oxygen saturation were significantly affected after the application of the love glove. The application of love gloves is a cheap and non-pharmacological method with no side effects. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Patients were involved in the design and conduct of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Funda Karaman
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health SciencesBiruni UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Asli Genc
- Department of Nursing, School of NursingUfuk UniversityAnkaraTurkey
| | - Ayse Nur Yerebakan Sen
- Department of Surgical Nursing, Institute of Graduate StudiesIstanbul University‐CerrahpasaIstanbulTurkey
| | - Mahruk Rashidi
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health SciencesIstanbul Gelisim UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Gulay Yildirim
- Department of Nursing, Kesan Hakki Yoruk School of HealthTrakya UniversityEdirneTurkey
| | | | | | - Buse Saygin Sahin
- Department of Mental Health and Diseases Nursing, Institute of Graduate StudiesIstanbul University‐CerrahpasaIstanbulTurkey
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4
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Wekking D, Senevirathne TH, Pearce JL, Aiello M, Scartozzi M, Lambertini M, De Silva P, Solinas C. The impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2024; 75:110-118. [PMID: 38103990 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant challenge for individuals with compromised immune systems, such as patients with cancer, as they face a heightened susceptibility to severe infections compared to the general population. Such severe infections substantially increase the risk of morbidity and mortality among these patients. Notable risk factors for mortality include advanced age (> 70 years), current or past smoking history, advanced disease stage, the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 2 or higher. Multiple types of vaccines have been developed and implemented, demonstrating remarkable efficacy in preventing infections. However, there have been observable reductions in their ability to elicit an immune response, particularly among individuals with hematological malignancies. The situation becomes more challenging due to the emergence of viral variants of concern (VOCs). Despite the increase in neutralizing antibody levels after vaccination, they remain lower in response to these evolving variants. The need for booster vaccinations has become apparent, particularly for this vulnerable population, due to the suboptimal immune response and waning of immunity post-vaccination. Examining and comprehending how the immune system reacts to various vaccination regimens for SARS-CoV-2 and its VOCs in cancer patients is crucial for designing clinical and public health strategies. This review aims to provide an updated overview of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in cancer patients, including those undergoing treatments such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, by exploring the extent of both humoral and cellular immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination. Furthermore, it outlines risk factors and potential biomarkers that are associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine responses, and offers suggestions for improving SARS-CoV-2 protection in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demi Wekking
- Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Thilini H Senevirathne
- Faculty of Science, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Josie L Pearce
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Premedical Program, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marco Aiello
- Medical Oncology Unit A.O.U. Policlinico - Vittorio Emanuele di Catania, Italy
| | - Mario Scartozzi
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Matteo Lambertini
- Department of Medical Oncology, U.O.C. Clinica di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), School of Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pushpamali De Silva
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Cinzia Solinas
- Medical Oncology, AOU Cagliari, P.O. Duilio Casula, Monserrato, CA, Italy.
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Wright TJ, Pyles RB, Sheffield-Moore M, Deer RR, Randolph KM, McGovern KA, Danesi CP, Gilkison CR, Ward WW, Vargas JA, Armstrong PA, Lindsay SE, Zaidan MF, Seashore J, Wexler TL, Masel BE, Urban RJ. Low growth hormone secretion associated with post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) neurologic symptoms: A case-control pilot study. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 579:112071. [PMID: 37816478 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine if patients that develop lingering neurologic symptoms of fatigue and "brain fog" after initial recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have persistent low growth hormone (GH) secretion as seen in other conditions with similar symptom etiology. DESIGN In this case-control observational pilot study, patients reporting lingering neurologic post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC, n = 10) symptoms at least 6 months after initial infection were compared to patients that recovered from COVID-19 without lingering symptoms (non-PASC, n = 13). We compared basic blood chemistry and select metabolites, lipids, hormones, inflammatory markers, and vitamins between groups. PASC and non-PASC subjects were tested for neurocognition and GH secretion, and given questionnaires to assess symptom severity. PASC subjects were also tested for glucose tolerance and adrenal function. RESULTS PASC subjects reported significantly worse fatigue, sleep quality, depression, quality of life, and gastrointestinal discomfort compared to non-PASC. Although PASC subjects self-reported poor mental resilience, cognitive testing did not reveal significant differences between groups. Neurologic PASC symptoms were not linked to inflammatory markers or adrenal insufficiency, but were associated with reduced growth hormone secretion. CONCLUSIONS Neurologic PASC symptoms are associated with gastrointestinal discomfort and persistent disruption of GH secretion following recovery from acute COVID-19. (www. CLINICALTRIALS gov; NCT04860869).
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Affiliation(s)
- Traver J Wright
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Richard B Pyles
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Melinda Sheffield-Moore
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Rachel R Deer
- Department of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Kathleen M Randolph
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Kristen A McGovern
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Christopher P Danesi
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Charles R Gilkison
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Weston W Ward
- School of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Jayson A Vargas
- School of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Peyton A Armstrong
- School of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Sarah E Lindsay
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Mohammed F Zaidan
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Justin Seashore
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Tamara L Wexler
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, 10016, USA; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
| | - Brent E Masel
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA; Centre for Neuro Skills, Bakersfield, California, 93313, USA
| | - Randall J Urban
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA.
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6
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Ávila-Nieto C, Vergara-Alert J, Amengual-Rigo P, Ainsua-Enrich E, Brustolin M, Rodríguez de la Concepción ML, Pedreño-Lopez N, Rodon J, Urrea V, Pradenas E, Marfil S, Ballana E, Riveira-Muñoz E, Pérez M, Roca N, Tarrés-Freixas F, Carabelli J, Cantero G, Pons-Grífols A, Rovirosa C, Aguilar-Gurrieri C, Ortiz R, Barajas A, Trinité B, Lepore R, Muñoz-Basagoiti J, Perez-Zsolt D, Izquierdo-Useros N, Valencia A, Blanco J, Clotet B, Guallar V, Segalés J, Carrillo J. Novel Spike-stabilized trimers with improved production protect K18-hACE2 mice and golden Syrian hamsters from the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1291972. [PMID: 38124756 PMCID: PMC10731958 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1291972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Most COVID-19 vaccines are based on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein (S) or their subunits. However, S shows some structural instability that limits its immunogenicity and production, hampering the development of recombinant S-based vaccines. The introduction of the K986P and V987P (S-2P) mutations increases the production and immunogenicity of the recombinant S trimer, suggesting that these two parameters are related. Nevertheless, S-2P still shows some molecular instability and it is produced with low yield. Here we described a novel set of mutations identified by molecular modeling and located in the S2 region of the S-2P that increase its production up to five-fold. Besides their immunogenicity, the efficacy of two representative S-2P-based mutants, S-29 and S-21, protecting from a heterologous SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant challenge was assayed in K18-hACE2 mice (an animal model of severe SARS-CoV-2 disease) and golden Syrian hamsters (GSH) (a moderate disease model). S-21 induced higher level of WH1 and Delta variants neutralizing antibodies than S-2P in K18-hACE2 mice three days after challenge. Viral load in nasal turbinate and oropharyngeal samples were reduced in S-21 and S-29 vaccinated mice. Despite that, only the S-29 protein protected 100% of K18-hACE2 mice from severe disease. When GSH were analyzed, all immunized animals were protected from disease development irrespectively of the immunogen they received. Therefore, the higher yield of S-29, as well as its improved immunogenicity and efficacy protecting from the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant, pinpoint the S-29 mutant as an alternative to the S-2P protein for future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Júlia Vergara-Alert
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pep Amengual-Rigo
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Marco Brustolin
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Jordi Rodon
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victor Urrea
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | | | | | - Ester Ballana
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Mònica Pérez
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Roca
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Guillermo Cantero
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Raquel Ortiz
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ana Barajas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | | | - Rosalba Lepore
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Nuria Izquierdo-Useros
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic – UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic – UCC), Vic, Spain
- Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - Victor Guallar
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jorge Carrillo
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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7
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El-Fakharany EM, El-Gendi H, El-Maradny YA, Abu-Serie MM, Abdel-Wahhab KG, Shabana ME, Ashry M. Inhibitory effect of lactoferrin-coated zinc nanoparticles on SARS-CoV-2 replication and entry along with improvement of lung fibrosis induced in adult male albino rats. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 245:125552. [PMID: 37356684 PMCID: PMC10290166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome 2019-new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a major global challenge caused by a pandemic disease, named 'COVID-19' with no effective and selective therapy available so far. COVID-19-associated mortality is directly related to the inability to suppress the viral infection and the uncontrolled inflammatory response. So, we investigated the antiviral efficiency of the nanofabricated and well-characterized lactoferrin-coated zinc nanoparticles (Lf-Zn-NPs) on SARS-CoV-2 replication and entry into host cells. Lf-Zn-NPs showed potent inhibition of the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host cells by inhibition of ACE2, the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. This inhibitory activity of Lf-Zn-NPs to target the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the ACE2 receptor offers potent protection against COVID-19 outbreaks. Moreover, the administration of Lf-Zn-NPs markedly improved lung fibrosis disorders, as supported by histopathological findings and monitored by the significant reduction in the values of CRP, LDH, ferritin, and D-dimer, with a remarkable rise in CD4+, lung SOD, GPx, GSH, and CAT levels. Lf-Zn-NPs revealed therapeutic efficiency against lung fibrosis owing to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and ACE2-inhibiting activities. These findings suggest a promising nanomedicine agent against COVID-19 and its complications, with improved antiviral and immunomodulatory properties as well as a safer mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmail M El-Fakharany
- Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA- City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Hamada El-Gendi
- Bioprocess Development Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Yousra A El-Maradny
- Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA- City), New Borg El-Arab City 21934, Alexandria, Egypt; Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), Alamein 51718, Egypt
| | - Marwa M Abu-Serie
- Medical Biotechnology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
| | | | | | - Mahmoud Ashry
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit, Egypt
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8
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Sobczak M, Pawliczak R. Which Factors Were Related to the Number of COVID-19 Cases in the 2022/2023 Season Compared to the 2021/2022 Season in Europe? J Clin Med 2023; 12:4517. [PMID: 37445552 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12134517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of COVID-19 cases was greater in early autumn 2022 in contrast to in autumn 2021. Therefore, we decided to examine the factors that may have affected differences in the number of COVID-19 cases between the time periods 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 with consideration of the occurrence of influenza. In this cross-sectional study, we conducted a multiple factor analysis using data from publicly available databases for weeks 35-14 in 2022/2023 and 2021/2022 for Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Slovenia. In the 2021/2022 season, the analyzed countries had similar profiles and were characterized by restrictions, health system policies, and SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as Alpha, Beta, Delta, Kappa, Eta, as well as Omicron sublineages (BA.1, BA.2), which were positively correlated with the number of new cases of COVID-19 per million people. However, in the 2022/2023 season, the analyzed countries were described by groups of variables corresponding to vaccination, influenza, the number of flights, and the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 subvariant. In summary, crucial factors correlated with the increasing of number of COVID-19 cases in the 2021/2022 season were the presence of dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as the lifting of restrictions and strict health system policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marharyta Sobczak
- Department of Immunopathology, Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752 Lodz, Poland
| | - Rafał Pawliczak
- Department of Immunopathology, Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752 Lodz, Poland
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9
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Madan S, Chan MAG, Saeed O, Hemmige V, Sims DB, Forest SJ, Goldstein DJ, Patel SR, Jorde UP. Early Outcomes of Adult Heart Transplantation From COVID-19 Infected Donors. J Am Coll Cardiol 2023; 81:2344-2357. [PMID: 37204379 PMCID: PMC10191151 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data on heart transplantation (HT) using COVID-19 donors. OBJECTIVES This study investigated COVID-19 donor use, donor and recipient characteristics, and early post-HT outcomes. METHODS Between May 2020 and June 2022, study investigators identified 27,862 donors in the United Network for Organ Sharing, with 60,699 COVID-19 nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) performed before procurement and with available organ disposition. Donors were considered "COVID-19 donors" if they were NAT positive at any time during terminal hospitalization. These donors were subclassified as "active COVID-19" (aCOV) donors if they were NAT positive within 2 days of organ procurement, or "recently resolved COVID-19" (rrCOV) donors if they were NAT positive initially but became NAT negative before procurement. Donors with NAT-positive status >2 days before procurement were considered aCOV unless there was evidence of a subsequent NAT-negative result ≥48 hours after the last NAT-positive result. HT outcomes were compared. RESULTS During the study period, 1,445 "COVID-19 donors" (COVID-19 NAT positive) were identified; 1,017 of these were aCOV, and 428 were rrCOV. Overall, 309 HTs used COVID-19 donors, and 239 adult HTs from COVID-19 donors (150 aCOV, 89 rrCOV) met study criteria. Compared with non-COV, COVID-19 donors used for adult HT were younger and mostly male (∼80%). Compared with HTs from non-COV donors, recipients of HTs from aCOV donors had increased mortality at 6 months (Cox HR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.02-2.96; P = 0.043) and 1 year (Cox HR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.22-3.22; P = 0.006). Recipients of HTs from rrCOV and non-COV donors had similar 6-month and 1-year mortality. Results were similar in propensity-matched cohorts. CONCLUSIONS In this early analysis, although HTs from aCOV donors had increased mortality at 6 months and 1 year, HTs from rrCOV donors had survival similar to that seen in recipients of HTs from non-COV donors. Continued evaluation and a more nuanced approach to this donor pool are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivank Madan
- Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
| | | | - Omar Saeed
- Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Vagish Hemmige
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Daniel B Sims
- Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Stephen J Forest
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Daniel J Goldstein
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Snehal R Patel
- Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Ulrich P Jorde
- Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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10
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Erol Doğan G, Uzbaş B. Diagnosis of COVID-19 from blood parameters using convolutional neural network. Soft comput 2023; 27:1-16. [PMID: 37362276 PMCID: PMC10225057 DOI: 10.1007/s00500-023-08508-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Asymptomatically presenting COVID-19 complicates the detection of infected individuals. Additionally, the virus changes too many genomic variants, which increases the virus's ability to spread. Because there isn't a specific treatment for COVID-19 in a short time, the essential goal is to reduce the virulence of the disease. Blood parameters, which contain essential clinical information about infectious diseases and are easy to access, have an important place in COVID-19 detection. The convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, which is popular in image processing, produces highly successful results for COVID-19 detection models. When the literature is examined, it is seen that COVID-19 studies with CNN are generally done using lung images. In this study, one-dimensional (1D) blood parameters data were converted into two-dimensional (2D) image data after preprocessing, and COVID-19 detection was made with CNN. The t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding method was applied to transfer the feature vectors to the 2D plane. All data were framed with convex hull and minimum bounding rectangle algorithms to obtain image data. The image data obtained by pixel mapping was presented to the developed 3-line CNN architecture. This study proposes an effective and successful model by providing a combination of low-cost and rapidly-accessible blood parameters and CNN architecture making image data processing highly successful for COVID-19 detection. Ultimately, COVID-19 detection was made with a success rate of 94.85%. This study has brought a new perspective to COVID-19 detection studies by obtaining 2D image data from 1D COVID-19 blood parameters and using CNN.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Betül Uzbaş
- Computer Engineering Department, Konya Technical University, Konya, Turkey
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11
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Editorial overview: Innate immunity - 2023: Just in time defense. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 82:102302. [PMID: 36921380 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
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12
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Comparison of COVID-19 Vaccine-Associated Myocarditis and Viral Myocarditis Pathology. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020362. [PMID: 36851240 PMCID: PMC9967770 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant loss of life and severe disability, justifying the expedited testing and approval of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. While found to be safe and effective, there have been increasing reports of myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccine administration. The acute events have been severe enough to require admission to the intensive care unit in some, but most patients fully recover with only rare deaths reported. The pathways involved in the development of vaccine-associated myocarditis are highly dependent on the specific vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis is believed to be primarily caused by uncontrolled cytokine-mediated inflammation with possible genetic components in the interleukin-6 signaling pathway. There is also a potential autoimmune component via molecular mimicry. Many of these pathways are similar to those seen in viral myocarditis, indicating a common pathophysiology. There is concern for residual cardiac fibrosis and increased risk for the development of cardiomyopathies later in life. This is of particular interest for patients with congenital heart defects who are already at increased risk for fibrotic cardiomyopathies. Though the risk for vaccine-associated myocarditis is important to consider, the risk of viral myocarditis and other injury is far greater with COVID-19 infection. Considering these relative risks, it is still recommended that the general public receive vaccination against COVID-19, and it is particularly important for congenital heart defect patients to receive vaccination for COVID-19.
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13
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Akaishi T, Fujiwara K, Ishii T. Variable number tandem repeats of a 9-base insertion in the N-terminal domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike gene. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1089399. [PMID: 36687631 PMCID: PMC9846035 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1089399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The world is still struggling against the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in 2022. The pandemic has been facilitated by the intermittent emergence of variant strains, which has been explained and classified mainly by the patterns of point mutations of the spike (S) gene. However, the profiles of insertions/deletions (indels) in SARS-CoV-2 genomes during the pandemic remain largely unevaluated yet. Methods In this study, we first screened for the genome regions of polymorphic indel sites by performing multiple sequence alignment; then, NCBI BLAST search and GISAID database search were performed to comprehensively investigate the indel profiles at the polymorphic indel hotspot and elucidate the emergence and spread of the indels in time and geographical distribution. Results A polymorphic indel hotspot was identified in the N-terminal domain of the S gene at approximately 22,200 nucleotide position, corresponding to 210-215 amino acid positions of SARS-CoV-2 S protein. This polymorphic hotspot was comprised of adjacent 3-base deletion (5'-ATT-3'; Spike_N211del) and 9-base insertion (5'-AGCCAGAAG-3'; Spike_ins214EPE). By performing NCBI BLAST search and GISAID database search, we identified several types of tandem repeats of the 9-base insertion, creating an 18-base insertion (Spike_ins214EPEEPE, Spike_ins214EPDEPE). The results of the searches suggested that the two-cycle tandem repeats of the 9-base insertion were created in November 2021 in Central Europe, whereas the emergence of the original one-cycle 9-base insertion (Spike_ins214EPE) would date back to the middle of 2020 and was away from the Central Europe. The identified 18-base insertions based on 2-cycle tandem repeat of the 9-base insertion were collected between November 2021 and April 2022, suggesting that these mutations could not survive and have been already eliminated. Discussion The GISAID database search implied that this polymorphic indel hotspot to be with one of the highest tolerability for incorporating indels in SARS-CoV-2 S gene. In summary, the present study identified a variable number of tandem repeat of 9-base insertion in the N-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 S gene, and the repeat could have occurred at different time from the insertion of the original 9-base insertion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Akaishi
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,COVID-19 Testing Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,*Correspondence: Tetsuya Akaishi, ✉
| | - Kei Fujiwara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tadashi Ishii
- Department of Education and Support for Regional Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,COVID-19 Testing Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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14
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Matthay ZA, Fields AT, Wick KD, Jones C, Lane HC, Herrera K, Nuñez-Garcia B, Gennatas E, Hendrickson CM, Kornblith AE, Matthay MA, Kornblith LZ. Association of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid viral antigen and the receptor for advanced glycation end products with development of severe disease in patients presenting to the emergency department with COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1130821. [PMID: 37026003 PMCID: PMC10070743 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1130821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction There remains a need to better identify patients at highest risk for developing severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as additional waves of the pandemic continue to impact hospital systems. We sought to characterize the association of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid viral antigen, and a panel of thromboinflammatory biomarkers with development of severe disease in patients presenting to the emergency department with symptomatic COVID-19. Methods Blood samples were collected on arrival from 77 patients with symptomatic COVID-19, and plasma levels of thromboinflammatory biomarkers were measured. Results Differences in biomarkers between those who did and did not develop severe disease or death 7 days after presentation were analyzed. After adjustment for multiple comparisons, RAGE, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid viral antigen, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-1 were significantly elevated in the group who developed severe disease (all p<0.05). In a multivariable regression model, RAGE and SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid viral antigen remained significant risk factors for development of severe disease (both p<0.05), and each had sensitivity and specificity >80% on cut-point analysis. Discussion Elevated RAGE and SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid viral antigen on emergency department presentation are strongly associated with development of severe disease at 7 days. These findings are of clinical relevance for patient prognostication and triage as hospital systems continue to be overwhelmed. Further studies are warranted to determine the feasibility and utility of point-of care measurements of these biomarkers in the emergency department setting to improve patient prognostication and triage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary A. Matthay
- Department of Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Zachary A. Matthay,
| | - Alexander T. Fields
- Department of Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Katherine D. Wick
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Chayse Jones
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - H. Clifford Lane
- Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kimberly Herrera
- Department of Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Brenda Nuñez-Garcia
- Department of Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Efstathios Gennatas
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Carolyn M. Hendrickson
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Aaron E. Kornblith
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Michael A. Matthay
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Lucy Z. Kornblith
- Department of Surgery, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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15
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Preliminary In Vivo Evidence of Oral Selenium Supplementation as a Potentiating Agent on a Vector-Based COVID-19 Vaccine in BALB/c Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 11:vaccines11010057. [PMID: 36679902 PMCID: PMC9863471 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence of efficacy and toxicity of oral selenium supplementation in vaccine administration against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in mice models is scarce. In this study, 4 × 109 virus particles (40 µL) dose of Janssen COVID-19 intramuscular injection vaccine was supplemented with a commercial selenium supplement and sodium selenite orally in BALB/c mice (N = 18). Qualitative determination of anti-spike IgG antibody response using indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) showed significant (p ≤ 0.001) increase in anti-spike IgG antibody response for mice groups immunized with vaccine and supplemented selenium. Furthermore, cytokine profiling using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction also showed an increase in IL-6 and IL-10 mRNA levels normalized using hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase 1 (Hprt1) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gadph) housekeeping genes. There was no statistical significance (p < 0.465) among treated and untreated groups for alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), urea, and creatinine parameters. The study presents preliminary findings and suggests that supplementing Janssen COVID-19 vaccines with selenium can generate more robust immune responses.
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Palermo E, Alexandridi M, Di Carlo D, Muscolini M, Hiscott J. Virus-like particle - mediated delivery of the RIG-I agonist M8 induces a type I interferon response and protects cells against viral infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1079926. [PMID: 36590581 PMCID: PMC9795031 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1079926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) are nanostructures that share conformation and self-assembly properties with viruses, but lack a viral genome and therefore the infectious capacity. In this study, we produced VLPs by co-expression of VSV glycoprotein (VSV-G) and HIV structural proteins (Gag, Pol) that incorporated a strong sequence-optimized 5'ppp-RNA RIG-I agonist, termed M8. Treatment of target cells with VLPs-M8 generated an antiviral state that conferred resistance against multiple viruses. Interestingly, treatment with VLPs-M8 also elicited a therapeutic effect by inhibiting ongoing viral replication in previously infected cells. Finally, the expression of SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein on the VLP surface retargeted VLPs to ACE2 expressing cells, thus selectively blocking viral infection in permissive cells. These results highlight the potential of VLPs-M8 as a therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine platform. Overall, these observations indicate that the modification of VLP surface glycoproteins and the incorporation of nucleic acids or therapeutic drugs, will permit modulation of particle tropism, direct specific innate and adaptive immune responses in target tissues, and boost immunogenicity while minimizing off-target effects.
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Kwon CY, Lee B. Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122095. [PMID: 36560505 PMCID: PMC9787739 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing and disseminating evidence-based safety information could potentially facilitate beneficial choices in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccinations. This systematic review investigated the potential impact of COVID-19 vaccinations on human heart rate variability (HRV) parameters through comprehensive searches of four electronic medical databases. Five observational studies reporting HRV parameters of individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 and published up to 29 July 2022 were included in this review. Among them, four studies reported the square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD) as their outcome, and the remaining study reported an HRV-based stress indicator. These studies reported short-term changes and rapid recovery in HRV parameters within up to 3 days after COVID-19 vaccination. Some studies showed that the impact of COVID-19 vaccinations on RMSSD was greater in women than men, and in the younger group than in the older group. The methodological quality of the included studies was not optimal; the review revealed short-term changes in HRV parameters, particularly RMSSD, following COVID-19 vaccination. However, as the included studies did not report important parameters besides RMSSD, the limitation exists that the postvaccination long-term HRV stability was not reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Young Kwon
- Department of Oriental Neuropsychiatry, Dong-Eui University College of Korean Medicine, 52-57, Yangjeong-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan 47227, Republic of Korea
| | - Boram Lee
- KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672, Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea
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Measuring the Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines Used during a Surge of the Delta Variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Bangladesh: A Test-Negative Design Evaluation. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122069. [PMID: 36560479 PMCID: PMC9780914 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND From May to December 2021, Bangladesh experienced a major surge in the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. The earlier rollout of several vaccines offered the opportunity to evaluate vaccine effectiveness against this variant. METHODS A prospective, test-negative case-control study was conducted in five large hospitals in Dhaka between September and December 2021. The subjects were patients of at least 18 years of age who presented themselves for care, suffering COVID-like symptoms of less than 10 days' duration. The cases had PCR-confirmed infections with SARS-CoV-2, and up to 4 PCR test-negative controls were matched to each case, according to hospital, date of presentation, and age. Vaccine protection was assessed as being the association between the receipt of a complete course of vaccine and the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 disease, with symptoms beginning at least 14 days after the final vaccine dose. RESULTS In total, 313 cases were matched to 1196 controls. The genotyping of case isolates revealed 99.6% to be the Delta variant. Receipt of any vaccine was associated with 12% (95% CI: -21 to 37, p = 0.423) protection against all episodes of SARS-CoV-2. Among the three vaccines for which protection was evaluable (Moderna (mRNA-1273); Sinopharm (Vero Cell-Inactivated); Serum Institute of India (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19)), only the Moderna vaccine was associated with significant protection (64%; 95% CI: 10 to 86, p = 0.029). Protection by the receipt of any vaccine against severe disease was 85% (95% CI: 27 to 97, p = 0.019), with protection estimates of 75% to 100% for the three vaccines. CONCLUSIONS Vaccine protection against COVID-19 disease of any severity caused by the Delta variant was modest in magnitude and significant for only one of the three evaluable vaccines. In contrast, protection against severe disease was high in magnitude and consistent for all three vaccines. Because our findings are not in complete accord with evaluations of the same vaccines in more affluent settings, our study underscores the need for country-level COVID-19 vaccine evaluations in developing countries.
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Jiang Y, Rubin L, Zhou Z, Zhang H, Su Q, Hou ST, Lazarovici P, Zheng W. Pharmacological therapies and drug development targeting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2022; 68:13-24. [PMID: 36266222 PMCID: PMC9558743 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The development of therapies for SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on virus biology and pathology, and of large- and small-scale randomized controlled trials, have brought forward several antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs targeting the disease severity. Casirivimab/Imdevimab monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma to prevent virus entry, Remdesivir, Molnupiravir, and Paxlovid nucleotide analogs to prevent viral replication, a variety of repurposed JAK-STAT signaling pathway inhibitors, corticosteroids, and recombinant agonists/antagonists of cytokine and interferons have been found to provide clinical benefits in terms of mortality and hospitalization. However, current treatment options face multiple clinical needs, and therefore, in this review, we provide an update on the challenges of the existing therapeutics and highlight drug development strategies for COVID-19 therapy, based on ongoing clinical trials, meta-analyses, and clinical case reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Jiang
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China,Brain Research Centre and Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Limor Rubin
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel
| | - Zhiwei Zhou
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Haibo Zhang
- Anesthesia, Critical Care Medicine and Physiology, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Qiaozhu Su
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Sheng-Tao Hou
- Brain Research Centre and Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China,Correspondence to: Brain Research Centre and Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Philip Lazarovici
- Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112002, Israel
| | - Wenhua Zheng
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China,Correspondence to: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Room 3057, Building E12, Avenida de Universidade, Taipa, Macau, China
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20
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Yisak H, Ambaw B, Belay E, Desalegn T, Getie A, Asrat M, Guangul A, Seid T, Zewde EA, Assefa M, Ewunetei A. Knowledge, attitude, acceptance, and practice of COVID-19 vaccination and associated factors complemented with constructs of health belief model among the general public in South Gondar, Ethiopia: A community-based study. Front Public Health 2022; 10:914121. [PMID: 36466498 PMCID: PMC9714612 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.914121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Understanding the epidemiological dynamics of disease control, as well as the effectiveness, compliance, and success of the vaccination program requires an understanding of the local population's knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 vaccination and associated factors among the general public. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in the South Gondar Zone, among residents above the age of 18 years. The study used objective measures and the constructs of the Health Belief Model. Binary logistic regression was used and the result of the final model was presented in terms of adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), and statistical significance was taken and considered at a P-value < 0.05. Results The study was conducted on 1,111 study participants. The mean age is 30.83 ± 7.106. About 575 (51.8%) of the respondents have good knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccination and 43.4% have a positive attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination. About 361 (32.5%) of the respondents were willing to take the vaccine if it is available and 113 (10.2%) of them were vaccinated. Participants with a positive attitude and good knowledge, those with a secondary level of education AOR = 5.70, 95% CI (2.60-12.60), those with a monthly income of >2,000 birr AOR = 6.30, 95% CI (2.50-15.60), those having a television (TV), and those who use Facebook AOR = 17.70, 95% CI (10.10-30.90) had a higher level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination. The Health Belief Model's constructs of perceived susceptibility AOR = 1.53, 95% CI (1.26-1.85), perceived benefit AOR = 1.49, 95% CI (1.28-1.75), and cues to action AOR = 0.54, 95% CI (0.45-0.65) were all linked to COVID-19 vaccine acceptability. Conclusion The level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination is much lower. Having a positive attitude score and good knowledge score, level of education, monthly income, presence of TV, the use of Facebook, and knowing the means of transmission of COVID-19 increase the level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiwot Yisak
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia,*Correspondence: Hiwot Yisak
| | - Birhanie Ambaw
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Emaway Belay
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tsion Desalegn
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Adanech Getie
- Department of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Meswat Asrat
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Asrate Guangul
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tigist Seid
- Department of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Edgeit Abebe Zewde
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Mengesha Assefa
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Amien Ewunetei
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Gondar, Ethiopia
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21
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Gao L, Zheng C, Shi Q, Xiao K, Wang L, Liu Z, Li Z, Dong X. Evolving trend change during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health 2022; 10:957265. [PMID: 36203708 PMCID: PMC9531778 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.957265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused unimaginable damage to public health and socio-economic structures worldwide; thus, an epidemiological depiction of the global evolving trends of this disease is necessary. As of March 31, 2022, the number of cases increased gradually over the four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating the need for continuous countermeasures. The highest total cases per million and total deaths per million were observed in Europe (240,656.542) and South America (2,912.229), despite these developed countries having higher vaccination rates than other continents, such as Africa. In contrast, the lowest of the above two indices were found in undeveloped African countries, which had the lowest number of vaccinations. These data indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic is positively related to the socio-economic development level; meanwhile, the data suggest that the vaccine currently used in these continents cannot completely prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thus, rethinking the feasibility of a single vaccine to control the disease is needed. Although the number of cases in the fourth wave increased exponentially compared to those of the first wave, ~43.1% of deaths were observed during the first wave. This was not only closely linked to multiple factors, including the inadequate preparation for the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gradual reduction in the severity of additional variants, and the protection conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination, but this also indicated the change in the main driving dynamic in the fourth wave. Moreover, at least 12 variants were observed globally, showing a clear spatiotemporal profile, which provides the best explanation for the presence of the four waves of the pandemic. Furthermore, there was a clear shift in the trend from multiple variants driving the spread of disease in the early stage of the pandemic to a single Omicron lineage predominating in the fourth wave. These data suggest that the Omicron variant has an advantage in transmissibility over other contemporary co-circulating variants, demonstrating that monitoring new variants is key to reducing further spread. We recommend that public health measures, along with vaccination and testing, are continually implemented to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Canjun Zheng
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Kang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Zhiguo Liu
| | - Zhenjun Li
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,Zhenjun Li
| | - Xiaoping Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,Xiaoping Dong
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22
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Ortega MA, García-Montero C, Fraile-Martinez O, Colet P, Baizhaxynova A, Mukhtarova K, Alvarez-Mon M, Kanatova K, Asúnsolo A, Sarría-Santamera A. Recapping the Features of SARS-CoV-2 and Its Main Variants: Status and Future Paths. J Pers Med 2022; 12:995. [PMID: 35743779 PMCID: PMC9225183 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12060995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the two years that we have been experiencing the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, our challenges have been the race to develop vaccines and the difficulties in fighting against new variants due to the rapid ability of the virus to evolve. In this sense, different organizations have identified and classified the different variants that have been emerging, distinguishing between variants of concern (VOC), variants of interest (VOI), or variants under monitoring (VUM). The following review aims to describe the latest updates focusing on VOC and already de-escalated variants, as well as to describe the impact these have had on the global situation. Understanding the intrinsic properties of SARS-CoV-2 and its interaction with the immune system and vaccination is essential to make out the underlying mechanisms that have led to the appearance of these variants, helping to determine the next steps for better public management of this pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Ortega
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain; (M.A.O.); (C.G.-M.); (O.F.-M.); (M.A.-M.)
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cielo García-Montero
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain; (M.A.O.); (C.G.-M.); (O.F.-M.); (M.A.-M.)
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Fraile-Martinez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain; (M.A.O.); (C.G.-M.); (O.F.-M.); (M.A.-M.)
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Paolo Colet
- Department of Medicine, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (P.C.); (A.B.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Ardak Baizhaxynova
- Department of Medicine, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (P.C.); (A.B.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Kymbat Mukhtarova
- Department of Medicine, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (P.C.); (A.B.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Melchor Alvarez-Mon
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain; (M.A.O.); (C.G.-M.); (O.F.-M.); (M.A.-M.)
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Immune System Diseases-Rheumatology, Oncology Service an Internal Medicine (CIBEREHD), University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, 28806 Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Kaznagul Kanatova
- Department of Medicine, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (P.C.); (A.B.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Angel Asúnsolo
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Antonio Sarría-Santamera
- Department of Medicine, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Nur-Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (P.C.); (A.B.); (K.M.); (K.K.)
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23
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Alarmanazi F, Bangash BA, Lahoti L, Farabi B. Acute Extensive Deep Vein Thrombosis After Heterogeneous Administration of Moderna mRNA Booster Vaccine: A Case Report. Cureus 2022; 14:e25779. [PMID: 35812633 PMCID: PMC9270722 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.25779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) struck the world in 2019 and led to the development of the multisystem coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) causing a worldwide pandemic. Vaccines with boosters were developed due to novel mutations of SARS-CoV-2. Heterogeneous vaccination emerged with the perception that mixing vaccines can provide better protection. We present the case of a 68-year-old male patient who developed extensive acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the left lower extremity, two weeks following the Moderna mRNA booster vaccine (mRNA-1273). His first two doses were AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S [recombinant]. He was started on a heparin drip and prescribed rivaroxaban. We discuss the possible etiology of this DVT, the mechanism of action of the Moderna mRNA vaccine, the association of DVT with vaccine-induced inflammation, implications of heterogeneous vaccine combinations, and recommendations to advise people on possible thrombogenic adverse effects prior to mRNA vaccine administration.
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