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Gürcü S, Irmak Kaya Z, Uncu A, Yorulmaz G, Ilgin S. Evaluation of serum neopterin levels in severe COVID-19 patients: An observational study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38996. [PMID: 39058886 PMCID: PMC11272344 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038996] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a massive inflammatory response is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Inflammatory markers are prognostic indicators of disease severity and the ultimate clinical outcome. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between serum levels of neopterin, which can be an immune system marker, disease severity, and poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Our study aimed to determine the diagnostic significance of neopterin in conjunction with routinely measured inflammatory markers in patients with severe COVID-19. Serum neopterin, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin levels, and complete blood count were determined in 39 patients with severe COVID-19 and 30 healthy individuals. Demographic characteristics, serum neopterin levels, and other laboratory data were compared between patients and healthy volunteers and statistically analyzed. High neopterin levels were observed in patients with severe COVID-19 compared to healthy volunteers. Furthermore, albumin levels were decreased, while CRP levels were increased in patients, statistically significantly. Also, positive correlations were shown between serum neopterin levels and serum CRP levels, while negative correlations were shown between serum neopterin levels and serum albumin levels. Systemic inflammation markers, CRP/albumin ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio were significantly higher, while lymphocyte/monocyte ratio was also significantly lower in patients with severe COVID-19 than in healthy volunteers. However, serum neopterin levels were not linked to the CRP/albumin ratio, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, or the platelet/lymphocyte ratio. On the other hand, they were linked negatively to the lymphocyte/monocyte ratio. Our findings highlight the association between high neopterin levels and patients with severe COVID-19. Neopterin is correlated with traditional inflammatory biomarkers and may indicate general immune and inflammatory activation in patients with severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinem Gürcü
- Department of Pharmacy, Eskişehir City Hospital, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Irmak Kaya
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Eskişehir Health Application and Research Center, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Ali Uncu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Health Sciences Eskişehir Health Application and Research Center, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Göknur Yorulmaz
- Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Sinem Ilgin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey
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Gietl M, Burkert F, Hofer S, Gostner JM, Sonnweber T, Tancevski I, Pizzini A, Sahanic S, Schroll A, Brigo N, Egger A, Bellmann-Weiler R, Löffler-Ragg J, Weiss G, Kurz K. Laboratory parameters related to disease severity and physical performance after reconvalescence of acute COVID-19 infection. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10388. [PMID: 38710760 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57448-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Research into the molecular basis of disease trajectory and Long-COVID is important to get insights toward underlying pathophysiological processes. The objective of this study was to investigate inflammation-mediated changes of metabolism in patients with acute COVID-19 infection and throughout a one-year follow up period. The study enrolled 34 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection admitted to the University Clinic of Innsbruck in early 2020. The dynamics of multiple laboratory parameters (including inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), neopterin] as well as amino acids [tryptophan (Trp), phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr)], and parameters of iron and vitamin B metabolism) was related to disease severity and patients' physical performance. Also, symptom load during acute illness and at approximately 60 days (FU1), and one year after symptom onset (FU2) were monitored and related with changes of the investigated laboratory parameters: During acute infection many investigated laboratory parameters were elevated (e.g., inflammatory markers, ferritin, kynurenine, phenylalanine) and enhanced tryptophan catabolism and phenylalanine accumulation were found. At FU2 nearly all laboratory markers had declined back to reference ranges. However, kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp) and the phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio (Phe/Tyr) were still exceeding the 95th percentile of healthy controls in about two thirds of our cohort at FU2. Lower tryptophan concentrations were associated with B vitamin availability (during acute infection and at FU1), patients with lower vitamin B12 levels at FU1 had a prolonged and more severe impairment of their physical functioning ability. Patients who had fully recovered (ECOG 0) presented with higher concentrations of iron parameters (ferritin, hepcidin, transferrin) and amino acids (phenylalanine, tyrosine) at FU2 compared to patients with restricted ability to work. Persistent symptoms at FU2 were tendentially associated with IFN-γ related parameters. Women were affected by long-term symptoms more frequently. Conclusively, inflammation-mediated biochemical changes appear to be related to symptoms of patients with acute and Long Covid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gietl
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francesco Burkert
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefanie Hofer
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johanna M Gostner
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ivan Tancevski
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alex Pizzini
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabina Sahanic
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Schroll
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Natascha Brigo
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Egger
- Central Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), Tirol Kliniken GmbH, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rosa Bellmann-Weiler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Löffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Günter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Katharina Kurz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Chilosi M, Doglioni C, Ravaglia C, Piciucchi S, Dubini A, Stefanizzi L, Poletti V. COVID-19. Biology, pathophysiology, and immunology: a pathologist view. Pathologica 2023; 115:248-256. [PMID: 38054899 DOI: 10.32074/1591-951x-954] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Even if the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been declared over, several risks and clinical problems remain to be faced, including long-COVID sequelae and possible outbreaks of pathogenic variants. Intense research on COVID-19 has provided in these few years a striking amount of data covering different fields and disciplines, which can help to provide a knowledge shield against new potential infective spreads, and may also potentially be applied to other fields of medicine, including oncology and neurology. Nevertheless, areas of uncertainty still remain regarding the pathogenic mechanisms that subtend the multifaceted manifestations of the disease. To better clarify the pathogenesis of the disease, a systematic multidisciplinary evaluation of the many mechanisms involved in COVID-19 is mandatory, including clinical, physiological, radiological, immunological and pathological studies. In COVID-19 syndrome the pathological studies have been mainly performed on autopsy cases, and only a few studies are available on biopsies. Nevertheless, these studies have provided relevant information that can substantially contribute to decipher the complex scenario characterizing the different forms of COVID-19 and long-COVID-19. In this review the data provided by pathological investigations are recapitulated and discussed, in the light of different hypothesis and data provided by clinical, physiological and immunological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Chilosi
- Department of Pathology, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, Italy
| | - Claudio Doglioni
- Department of Pathology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute. Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Ravaglia
- Department of Diseases of the Thorax, Ospedale GB Morgagni, Forlì, Italy
| | - Sara Piciucchi
- Department of Diseases of the Thorax, Ospedale GB Morgagni, Forlì, Italy
| | | | | | - Venerino Poletti
- Department of Diseases of the Thorax, Ospedale GB Morgagni, Forlì, Italy
- Department of Pathology, Ospedale GB Morgagni, Forlì, Italy
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Piater T, Gietl M, Hofer S, Gostner JM, Sahanic S, Tancevski I, Sonnweber T, Pizzini A, Egger A, Schennach H, Loeffler-Ragg J, Weiss G, Kurz K. Persistent Symptoms and IFN-γ-Mediated Pathways after COVID-19. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1055. [PMID: 37511668 PMCID: PMC10382041 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
After COVID-19, patients have reported various complaints such as fatigue, neurological symptoms, and insomnia. Immune-mediated changes in amino acid metabolism might contribute to the development of these symptoms. Patients who had had acute, PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection about 60 days earlier were recruited within the scope of the prospective CovILD study. We determined the inflammatory parameters and alterations in tryptophan and phenylalanine metabolism in 142 patients cross-sectionally. Symptom persistence (pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, anosmia, sleep disturbance, and neurological symptoms) and patients' physical levels of functioning were recorded. Symptoms improved in many patients after acute COVID-19 (n = 73, 51.4%). Still, a high percentage of patients had complaints, and women were affected more often. In many patients, ongoing immune activation (as indicated by high neopterin and CRP concentrations) and enhanced tryptophan catabolism were found. A higher phenylalanine to tyrosine ratio (Phe/Tyr) was found in women with a lower level of functioning. Patients who reported improvements in pain had lower Phe/Tyr ratios, while patients with improved gastrointestinal symptoms presented with higher tryptophan and kynurenine values. Our results suggest that women have persistent symptoms after COVID-19 more often than men. In addition, the physical level of functioning and the improvements in certain symptoms appear to be associated with immune-mediated changes in amino acid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Piater
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mario Gietl
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefanie Hofer
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johanna M Gostner
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sabina Sahanic
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ivan Tancevski
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Sonnweber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alex Pizzini
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Egger
- Central Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), Tirol Kliniken GmbH, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Harald Schennach
- Central Institute for Blood Transfusion and Immunological Department, Tirol Kliniken GmbH, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Judith Loeffler-Ragg
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Guenter Weiss
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Katharina Kurz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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