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Krishna B, Metaxaki M, Sithole N, Landín P, Martín P, Salinas-Botrán A. Cardiovascular disease and covid-19: A systematic review. IJC HEART & VASCULATURE 2024; 54:101482. [PMID: 39189008 PMCID: PMC11345335 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2024.101482] [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: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Background Cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 are numerous and aspects of this phenomenon are not well known. The main objective of this manuscript is a systematic review of the acute and chronic cardiovascular complications secondary to COVID-19. Methods A systematic review of the literature through Medline via PubMed was conducted (2020-2024). Results There is a plethora of effects of COVID-19 on the heart in the acute setting. Here we discuss pathophysiology, myocardial infarctions, heart failure, Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, myocardial injury, myocarditis and arrhythmias that are caused by COVID-19. Additionally, these cardiovascular injuries can linger and may be an underlying cause of some Long COVID symptoms. Conclusions Cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 are numerous and life-threatening. Long COVID can affect cardiovascular health. Microclotting induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection could be a therapeutic target for some aspects of Long Covid.
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Affiliation(s)
- B.A. Krishna
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - M. Metaxaki
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - N. Sithole
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - P. Landín
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - P. Martín
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - A. Salinas-Botrán
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Thomas C, Faghy MA, Chidley C, Phillips BE, Bewick T, Ashton RE. Blood Biomarkers of Long COVID: A Systematic Review. Mol Diagn Ther 2024; 28:537-574. [PMID: 39103645 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-024-00731-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long coronavirus disease (COVID; LC) affects millions of people worldwide. The exact mechanisms which result in a broad, undulating and detrimental symptom profile remain unknown. Blood biomarkers associated with LC have been described; however, consensus on these remains elusive, in part due to a lack of continuity between studies on a universally accepted definition of LC. This systematic review aimed to consolidate current knowledge of blood biomarkers associated with the prevalence of LC on the basis of the World Health Organisation (WHO) clinical definition of this condition. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES Observational, cross-sectional, and randomised control studies published in the English language that studied blood biomarkers associated with the WHO definition of LC. All studies included participants who were ≥ 18 years old and group sizes ≥ 10 participants, and were compared against a control group without any known co-morbidities. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and prospectively registered on Prospero (ID: CRD42022373121). The Cochrane, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to January 2024. Search results were gathered using Rayyan software and data extracted using Microsoft Excel. The reporting recommendations for tumour markers prognostic studies (REMARK) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of the included studies. RESULTS A total of 45 observational and one interventional study comprising 4415 participants were included in this review which identified 525 blood biomarkers thought to be associated with LC. Three blood biomarker subtypes were associated with the development of LC: (1) immunological and inflammatory dysfunction, (2) endothelial/vascular dysfunction and (3) metabolic and clotting abnormalities. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Our data are consistent with previous findings; however, no single biomarker was sufficiently associated with LC prevalence and instead a profile of biomarkers across various physiological systems may be more clinically useful. In all, 196 studies were excluded due to a lack of an adequately healthy comparator group and/or failure to meet the WHO LC definition. This demonstrates a need for further research incorporating a universal LC definition across all disease severity groups and symptom profiles, and longitudinal data reflecting the relapsing and remitting nature of this condition. Further investigation into blood biomarkers of LC, including clear reporting of healthy comparator groups and the investigation of acute and chronic biomarker changes, within the context of medical practice, may support the development of curative/restorative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum Thomas
- Biomedical and Clinical Science Research Theme, School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
- Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection (HL-PIVOT) Network, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Mark A Faghy
- Biomedical and Clinical Science Research Theme, School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
- Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection (HL-PIVOT) Network, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Corinna Chidley
- Biomedical and Clinical Science Research Theme, School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Bethan E Phillips
- MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research and NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Thomas Bewick
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby, UK
| | - Ruth E Ashton
- Biomedical and Clinical Science Research Theme, School of Human Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, UK
- Healthy Living for Pandemic Event Protection (HL-PIVOT) Network, Chicago, IL, USA
- Research Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
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3
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Luciano C, Fernando DD, Lucia Z, Elvira I, Romano D, Rebecca C, Alberto B, Francesco R, Maria DBA, Luca P, Irene C, Sara DM, Antonella F, Veronica B, Michela GZ, Nicole BG, Carlo G, Gianfranco P, Davide G. Epigenetic patterns, accelerated biological aging, and enhanced epigenetic drift detected 6 months following COVID-19 infection: insights from a genome-wide DNA methylation study. Clin Epigenetics 2024; 16:112. [PMID: 39164752 PMCID: PMC11337605 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-024-01724-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epigenetic status of patients 6-month post-COVID-19 infection remains largely unexplored. The existence of long-COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), suggests potential long-term changes. Long-COVID includes symptoms like fatigue, neurological issues, and organ-related problems, regardless of initial infection severity. The mechanisms behind long-COVID are unclear, but virus-induced epigenetic changes could play a role. METHODS AND RESULTS Our study explores the lasting epigenetic impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We analyzed genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in an Italian cohort of 96 patients 6 months after COVID-19 exposure, comparing them to 191 healthy controls. We identified 42 CpG sites with significant methylation differences (FDR < 0.05), primarily within CpG islands and gene promoters. Dysregulated genes highlighted potential links to glutamate/glutamine metabolism, which may be relevant to PASC symptoms. Key genes with potential significance to COVID-19 infection and long-term effects include GLUD1, ATP1A3, and ARRB2. Furthermore, Horvath's epigenetic clock showed a slight but significant age acceleration in post-COVID-19 patients. We also observed a substantial increase in stochastic epigenetic mutations (SEMs) in the post-COVID-19 group, implying potential epigenetic drift. SEM analysis identified 790 affected genes, indicating dysregulation in pathways related to insulin resistance, VEGF signaling, apoptosis, hypoxia response, T-cell activation, and endothelin signaling. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides valuable insights into the epigenetic consequences of COVID-19. Results suggest possible associations with accelerated aging, epigenetic drift, and the disruption of critical biological pathways linked to insulin resistance, immune response, and vascular health. Understanding these epigenetic changes could be crucial for elucidating the complex mechanisms behind long-COVID and developing targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calzari Luciano
- Bioinformatics and Statistical Genomics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Dragani Davide Fernando
- Bioinformatics and Statistical Genomics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Zanotti Lucia
- Department of Cardiology, S. Luca Hospital, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Inglese Elvira
- Clinical Chemistry Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, Italy
| | - Danesi Romano
- Clinical Chemistry Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cavagnola Rebecca
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, Italy
| | - Brusati Alberto
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ranucci Francesco
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, Italy
| | - Di Blasio Anna Maria
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Persani Luca
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, San Luca Hospital, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Campi Irene
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, San Luca Hospital, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - De Martino Sara
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) - IASI, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Barbi Veronica
- Laboratorio di Epigenetica, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Maugeri 4, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gottardi Zamperla Michela
- Laboratorio di Epigenetica, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Maugeri 4, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Baldrighi Giulia Nicole
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gaetano Carlo
- Laboratorio di Epigenetica, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Maugeri 4, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Parati Gianfranco
- Department of Cardiology, S. Luca Hospital, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Gentilini Davide
- Bioinformatics and Statistical Genomics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy.
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, Pavia, Italy.
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Almulla AF, Thipakorn Y, Zhou B, Vojdani A, Maes M. Immune activation and immune-associated neurotoxicity in Long-COVID: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 103 studies comprising 58 cytokines/chemokines/growth factors. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 122:75-94. [PMID: 39127088 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple studies have shown that Long COVID (LC) disease is associated with heightened immune activation, as evidenced by elevated levels of inflammatory mediators. However, there is no comprehensive meta-analysis focusing on activation of the immune inflammatory response system (IRS) and the compensatory immunoregulatory system (CIRS) along with other immune phenotypes in LC patients. OBJECTIVES This meta-analysis is designed to explore the IRS and CIRS profiles in LC patients, the individual cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, along with C-reactive protein (CRP) and immune-associated neurotoxicity. METHODS To gather relevant studies for our research, we conducted a thorough search using databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and SciFinder, covering all available literature up to July 5th, 2024. RESULTS The current meta-analysis encompassed 103 studies that examined multiple immune profiles, C-reactive protein, and 58 cytokines/chemokines/growth factors in 5502 LC patients versus 5962 normal controls (NC). LC patients showed significant increases in IRS/CIRS ratio (standardized mean difference (SMD: 0.156, confidence interval (CI): 0.062;0.250), IRS (SMD: 0.338, CI: 0.236;0.440), M1 macrophage (SMD: 0.371, CI: 0.263;0.480), T helper (Th)1 (SMD: 0.316, CI: 0.185;0.446), Th17 (SMD: 0.439, CI: 0.302;0.577) and immune-associated neurotoxicity (SMD: 0.384, CI: 0.271;0.497). In addition, CRP and 21 different cytokines displayed significantly elevated levels in LC patients compared to NC. CONCLUSION LC disease is characterized by IRS activation and increased immune-associated neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas F Almulla
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China; Key Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610072, China; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Medical Laboratory Technology Department, College of Medical Technology, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
| | - Yanin Thipakorn
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bo Zhou
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China; Key Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Aristo Vojdani
- Immunosciences Lab, Inc., Los Angeles, CA 90035, USA; Cyrex Laboratories, LLC, Phoenix, AZ 85034, USA
| | - Michael Maes
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610072, China; Key Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610072, China; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Cognitive Fitness and Biopsychological Technology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine. Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Research Institute, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Strategic Research and Innovation Program for the Development of MU - PLOVDIV-(SRIPD-MUP), European Union - NextGenerationEU; Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, South Korea.
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5
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Thierry AR, Salmon D. Inflammation-, immunothrombosis,- and autoimmune-feedback loops may lead to persistent neutrophil self-stimulation in long COVID. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29887. [PMID: 39189651 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the pathophysiology of long COVID is one of the most intriguing challenges confronting contemporary medicine. Despite observations recently made in the relevant molecular, cellular, and physiological domains, it is still difficult to say whether the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 directly correspond to the consequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This work hypothesizes that neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) production are at the interconnection of three positive feedback loops which are initiated in the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and which involve inflammation, immunothrombosis, and autoimmunity. This phenomenon could be favored by the fact that SARS-CoV-2 may directly bind and penetrate neutrophils. The ensuing strong neutrophil stimulation leads to a progressive amplification of an exacerbated and uncontrolled NETs production, potentially persisting for months beyond the acute phase of infection. This continuous self-stimulation of neutrophils leads, in turn, to systemic inflammation, micro-thromboses, and the production of autoantibodies, whose significant consequences include the persistence of endothelial and multiorgan damage, and vascular complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain R Thierry
- IRCM, Institute of Research on Cancerology of Montpellier, INSERM U1194, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Montpellier Cancer Institute (ICM), Montpellier, France
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6
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Hurler L, Mescia F, Bergamaschi L, Kajdácsi E, Sinkovits G, Cervenak L, Prohászka Z, Lyons PA, Toonen EJ. sMR and PTX3 levels associate with COVID-19 outcome and survival but not with Long COVID. iScience 2024; 27:110162. [PMID: 39027374 PMCID: PMC11255846 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110162] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomarkers for monitoring COVID-19 disease course are lacking. Study aim was to identify biomarkers associated with disease severity, survival, long-term outcome, and Long COVID. As excessive macrophages activation is a hallmark of COVID-19 and complement activation is key in this, we selected the following proteins involved in these processes: PTX3, C1q, C1-INH, C1s/C1-INH, and sMR. EDTA-plasma concentrations were measured in 215 patients and 47 controls using ELISA. PTX3, sMR, C1-INH, and C1s/C1-INH levels were associated with disease severity. PTX3 and sMR were also associated with survival and long-term immune recovery. Lastly, sMR levels associate with ICU admittance. sMR (AUC 0.85) and PTX3 (AUC 0.78) are good markers for disease severity, especially when used in combination (AUC 0.88). No association between biomarker levels and Long COVID was observed. sMR has not previously been associated with COVID-19 disease severity, ICU admittance or survival and may serve as marker for disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hurler
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Federica Mescia
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Laura Bergamaschi
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease-National Institute of Health Research (CITIID-NIHR) COVID BioResource Collaboration
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Research Group for Immunology and Haematology, Semmelweis University - Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Office for Supported Research Groups), Budapest, Hungary
- Research and Development Department, Hycult Biotech, Uden, the Netherlands
| | - Erika Kajdácsi
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Sinkovits
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Cervenak
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Prohászka
- Department of Internal Medicine and Haematology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Research Group for Immunology and Haematology, Semmelweis University - Eötvös Loránd Research Network (Office for Supported Research Groups), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Paul A. Lyons
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Erik J.M. Toonen
- Research and Development Department, Hycult Biotech, Uden, the Netherlands
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7
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Peluso MJ, Ryder D, Flavell R, Wang Y, Levi J, LaFranchi BH, Deveau TM, Buck AM, Munter SE, Asare KA, Aslam M, Koch W, Szabo G, Hoh R, Deswal M, Rodriguez A, Buitrago M, Tai V, Shrestha U, Lu S, Goldberg SA, Dalhuisen T, Vasquez JJ, Durstenfeld MS, Hsue PY, Kelly JD, Kumar N, Martin JN, Gambhir A, Somsouk M, Seo Y, Deeks SG, Laszik ZG, VanBrocklin HF, Henrich TJ. Tissue-based T cell activation and viral RNA persist for up to 2 years after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadk3295. [PMID: 38959327 PMCID: PMC11337933 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adk3295] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The mechanisms of postacute medical conditions and unexplained symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection [Long Covid (LC)] are incompletely understood. There is growing evidence that viral persistence, immune dysregulation, and T cell dysfunction may play major roles. We performed whole-body positron emission tomography imaging in a well-characterized cohort of 24 participants at time points ranging from 27 to 910 days after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection using the radiopharmaceutical agent [18F]F-AraG, a selective tracer that allows for anatomical quantitation of activated T lymphocytes. Tracer uptake in the postacute COVID-19 group, which included those with and without continuing symptoms, was higher compared with prepandemic controls in many regions, including the brain stem, spinal cord, bone marrow, nasopharyngeal and hilar lymphoid tissue, cardiopulmonary tissues, and gut wall. T cell activation in the spinal cord and gut wall was associated with the presence of LC symptoms. In addition, tracer uptake in lung tissue was higher in those with persistent pulmonary symptoms specifically. Increased T cell activation in these tissues was also observed in many individuals without LC. Given the high [18F]F-AraG uptake detected in the gut, we obtained colorectal tissue for in situ hybridization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and immunohistochemical studies in a subset of five participants with LC symptoms. We identified intracellular SARS-CoV-2 single-stranded spike protein-encoding RNA in rectosigmoid lamina propria tissue in all five participants and double-stranded spike protein-encoding RNA in three participants up to 676 days after initial COVID-19, suggesting that tissue viral persistence could be associated with long-term immunologic perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Peluso
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Dylan Ryder
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Robert Flavell
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Yingbing Wang
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Jelena Levi
- CellSight Technologies, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94107
| | - Brian H. LaFranchi
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Tyler-Marie Deveau
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Amanda M. Buck
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Sadie E. Munter
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Kofi A. Asare
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Maya Aslam
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Walter Koch
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Gyula Szabo
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94143
| | - Rebecca Hoh
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Monika Deswal
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Antonio Rodriguez
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Melissa Buitrago
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Viva Tai
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Uttam Shrestha
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Scott Lu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Sarah A. Goldberg
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Thomas Dalhuisen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Joshua J. Vasquez
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Matthew S. Durstenfeld
- Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Priscilla Y. Hsue
- Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - J. Daniel Kelly
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Nitasha Kumar
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Jeffrey N. Martin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Aruna Gambhir
- CellSight Technologies, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94107
| | - Ma Somsouk
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Youngho Seo
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
| | - Zoltan G. Laszik
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94143
| | - Henry F. VanBrocklin
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94158
| | - Timothy J. Henrich
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94110
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8
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Iba T, Connors JM, Levy JH. What Role Does Microthrombosis Play in Long COVID? Semin Thromb Hemost 2024; 50:527-536. [PMID: 37748518 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1774795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Soon after the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), unexplained sustained fatigue, cognitive disturbance, and muscle ache/weakness were reported in patients who had recovered from acute COVID-19 infection. This abnormal condition has been recognized as "long COVID (postacute sequelae of COVID-19 [PASC])" with a prevalence estimated to be from 10 to 20% of convalescent patients. Although the pathophysiology of PASC has been studied, the exact mechanism remains obscure. Microclots in circulation can represent one of the possible causes of PASC. Although hypercoagulability and thrombosis are critical mechanisms of acute COVID-19, recent studies have reported that thromboinflammation continues in some patients, even after the virus has cleared. Viral spike proteins and RNA can be detected months after patients have recovered, findings that may be responsible for persistent thromboinflammation and the development of microclots. Despite this theory, long-term results of anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and vascular endothelial protection are inconsistent, and could not always show beneficial treatment effects. In summary, PASC reflects a heterogeneous condition, and microclots cannot explain all the presenting symptoms. After clarification of the pathomechanisms of each symptom, a symptom- or biomarker-based stratified approach should be considered for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiaki Iba
- Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jean M Connors
- Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jerrold H Levy
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
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9
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Pretorius E, Kell DB. A Perspective on How Fibrinaloid Microclots and Platelet Pathology May be Applied in Clinical Investigations. Semin Thromb Hemost 2024; 50:537-551. [PMID: 37748515 PMCID: PMC11105946 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1774796] [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] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Microscopy imaging has enabled us to establish the presence of fibrin(ogen) amyloid (fibrinaloid) microclots in a range of chronic, inflammatory diseases. Microclots may also be induced by a variety of purified substances, often at very low concentrations. These molecules include bacterial inflammagens, serum amyloid A, and the S1 spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Here, we explore which of the properties of these microclots might be used to contribute to differential clinical diagnoses and prognoses of the various diseases with which they may be associated. Such properties include distributions in their size and number before and after the addition of exogenous thrombin, their spectral properties, the diameter of the fibers of which they are made, their resistance to proteolysis by various proteases, their cross-seeding ability, and the concentration dependence of their ability to bind small molecules including fluorogenic amyloid stains. Measuring these microclot parameters, together with microscopy imaging itself, along with methodologies like proteomics and imaging flow cytometry, as well as more conventional assays such as those for cytokines, might open up the possibility of a much finer use of these microclot properties in generative methods for a future where personalized medicine will be standard procedures in all clotting pathology disease diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Matieland, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas B. Kell
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Matieland, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
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10
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Schofield J, Abrams ST, Jenkins R, Lane S, Wang G, Toh CH. Microclots, as defined by amyloid-fibrinogen aggregates, predict risks of disseminated intravascular coagulation and mortality. Blood Adv 2024; 8:2499-2508. [PMID: 38507683 PMCID: PMC11131067 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023012473] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Microclots have been associated with various conditions, including postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. They have been postulated to be amyloid-fibrin(ogen) aggregates, but their role as a prognostic biomarker remains unclear. To examine their possible clinical utility, blood samples were collected for the first 96 hours from critically ill patients (n = 104) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Detection was by staining platelet-poor plasma samples with thioflavin T and visualized by fluorescent microscopy. Image J software was trained to identify and quantify microclots, which were detected in 44 patients (42.3%) on ICU admission but not in the remaining 60 (57.7%) or the 20 healthy controls (0.0%). Microclots on admission to ICU were associated with a primary diagnosis of sepsis (microclots present in sepsis, 23/44 [52.3%] vs microclots absent in sepsis, 19/60 [31.7%]; P = .044). Multicolor immunofluorescence demonstrated that microclots consisted of amyloid-fibrinogen aggregates, which was supported by proteomic analysis. Patients with either a high number or larger-sized microclots had a higher likelihood of developing disseminated intravascular coagulation (odds ratio [OR], 51.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.3-6721.1; P < .001) and had an increased probability of 28-day mortality (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 2.0-15.6; P < .001). This study concludes that microclots, as defined by amyloid-fibrin(ogen) aggregates, are potentially useful in identifying sepsis and predicting adverse coagulopathic and clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Schofield
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Roald Dahl Haemostasis and Thrombosis Centre, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Simon T. Abrams
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Haematology, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalind Jenkins
- Centre for Drug Safety Science Bioanalytical Facility, Liverpool Shared Research Facilities, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Lane
- Department of Medical Statistics, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Guozheng Wang
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Haematology, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Cheng-Hock Toh
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Roald Dahl Haemostasis and Thrombosis Centre, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Haematology, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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11
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Dehhaghi M, Heydari M, Panahi HKS, Lewin SR, Heng B, Brew BJ, Guillemin GJ. The roles of the kynurenine pathway in COVID-19 neuropathogenesis. Infection 2024:10.1007/s15010-024-02293-y. [PMID: 38802702 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-024-02293-y] [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: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the highly contagious respiratory disease Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that may lead to various neurological and psychological disorders that can be acute, lasting days to weeks or months and possibly longer. The latter is known as long-COVID or more recently post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC). During acute COVID-19 infection, a strong inflammatory response, known as the cytokine storm, occurs in some patients. The levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interferon-β (IFN-β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are particularly increased. These cytokines are known to activate the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1), catalysing the first step of tryptophan (Trp) catabolism through the kynurenine pathway (KP) leading to the production of several neurotoxic and immunosuppressive metabolites. There is already data showing elevation in KP metabolites both acutely and in PASC, especially regarding cognitive impairment. Thus, it is likely that KP involvement is significant in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis especially neurologically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Dehhaghi
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mostafa Heydari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Kazemi Shariat Panahi
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sharon R Lewin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Benjamin Heng
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Bruce J Brew
- Peter Duncan Neurosciences Unit, St. Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Departments of Neurology and Immunology, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- University of Notre Dame, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Gilles J Guillemin
- Peter Duncan Neurosciences Unit, St. Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Pertanian Bogor University, Bogor, Indonesia
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12
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Durstenfeld MS, Weiman S, Holtzman M, Blish C, Pretorius R, Deeks SG. Long COVID and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and treatment: A Keystone Symposia report. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1535:31-41. [PMID: 38593220 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15132] [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] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
In 2023, the Keystone Symposia held the first international scientific conference convening research leaders investigating the pathology of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) or Long COVID, a growing and urgent public health priority. In this report, we present insights from the talks and workshops presented during this meeting and highlight key themes regarding what researchers have discovered regarding the underlying biology of PASC and directions toward future treatment. Several themes have emerged in the biology, with inflammation and other immune alterations being the most common focus, potentially related to viral persistence, latent virus reactivation, and/or tissue damage and dysfunction, especially of the endothelium, nervous system, and mitochondria. In order to develop safe and effective treatments for people with PASC, critical next steps should focus on the replication of major findings regarding potential mechanisms, disentangling pathogenic mechanisms from downstream effects, development of cellular and animal models, mechanism-focused randomized, placebo-controlled trials, and closer collaboration between people with lived experience, scientists, and other stakeholders. Ultimately, by learning from other post-infectious syndromes, the knowledge gained may help not only those with PASC/Long COVID, but also those with other post-infectious syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael Holtzman
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Catherine Blish
- Stanford Immunology Program and Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Resia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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13
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Liu X, Zhu H, Peng Y, Liu Y, Shi X. Twenty-Four week Taichi training improves pulmonary diffusion capacity and glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299495. [PMID: 38635535 PMCID: PMC11025805 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299495] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of 24-week Taichi training and Taichi plus resistance band training on pulmonary diffusion capacity and glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Forty-eight patients with T2DM were randomly divided into three groups: Group A-Taichi training: practiced Taichi 60 min/day, 6 days/week for 24 weeks; Group B-Taichi plus resistance band training: practiced 60-min Taichi 4 days/week plus 60-min resistance band training 2 days/week for 24 weeks; and Group C-controls: maintaining their daily lifestyles. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied to predict diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) by fasting blood glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), vascular endothelial growth factor, and prostaglandin I-2. Taichi with or without resistance band training significantly improved DLCO, increased insulin sensitivity, eNOS and NO, and reduced fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, TNF-α, vWF, IL-6, ICAM-1, and ET-1. There was no change in any of these variables in the control group. DLCO was significantly predicted (R2 = 0.82) by insulin sensitivity (standard-β = 0.415, P<0.001), eNOS (standard-β = 0.128, P = 0.017), TNF-α (standard-β = -0.259, P = 0.001), vWF (standard-β = -0.201, P = 0.007), and IL-6 (standard-β = -0.175, P = 0.032) in patients with T2DM. The impact of insulin sensitivity was the most important predictor for the variation of DLCO based on the multiple regression modeling. This study demonstrates that 24-week Taichi training and Taichi plus resistance band training effectively improve pulmonary diffusion capacity and blood glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Variation of DLCO is explained by improved insulin sensitivity and endothelial function, and reduced inflammatory markers, including TNF-α, vWF, and IL-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Liu
- Department of Physical Education, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Physical Education, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America
| | - Huan Zhu
- Department of Physical Education, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
| | - Yong Peng
- Department of Physical Education, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
| | - Yaofeng Liu
- Department of Physical Education, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
| | - Xiangrong Shi
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America
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14
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Kell DB, Lip GYH, Pretorius E. Fibrinaloid Microclots and Atrial Fibrillation. Biomedicines 2024; 12:891. [PMID: 38672245 PMCID: PMC11048249 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a comorbidity of a variety of other chronic, inflammatory diseases for which fibrinaloid microclots are a known accompaniment (and in some cases, a cause, with a mechanistic basis). Clots are, of course, a well-known consequence of atrial fibrillation. We here ask the question whether the fibrinaloid microclots seen in plasma or serum may in fact also be a cause of (or contributor to) the development of AF. We consider known 'risk factors' for AF, and in particular, exogenous stimuli such as infection and air pollution by particulates, both of which are known to cause AF. The external accompaniments of both bacterial (lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acids) and viral (SARS-CoV-2 spike protein) infections are known to stimulate fibrinaloid microclots when added in vitro, and fibrinaloid microclots, as with other amyloid proteins, can be cytotoxic, both by inducing hypoxia/reperfusion and by other means. Strokes and thromboembolisms are also common consequences of AF. Consequently, taking a systems approach, we review the considerable evidence in detail, which leads us to suggest that it is likely that microclots may well have an aetiological role in the development of AF. This has significant mechanistic and therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B. Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 220, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Gregory Y. H. Lip
- Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK;
- Danish Center for Health Services Research, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
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15
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Sun YK, Wang C, Lin PQ, Hu L, Ye J, Gao ZG, Lin R, Li HM, Shu Q, Huang LS, Tan LH. Severe pediatric COVID-19: a review from the clinical and immunopathophysiological perspectives. World J Pediatr 2024; 20:307-324. [PMID: 38321331 PMCID: PMC11052880 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00790-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tends to have mild presentations in children. However, severe and critical cases do arise in the pediatric population with debilitating systemic impacts and can be fatal at times, meriting further attention from clinicians. Meanwhile, the intricate interactions between the pathogen virulence factors and host defense mechanisms are believed to play indispensable roles in severe COVID-19 pathophysiology but remain incompletely understood. DATA SOURCES A comprehensive literature review was conducted for pertinent publications by reviewers independently using the PubMed, Embase, and Wanfang databases. Searched keywords included "COVID-19 in children", "severe pediatric COVID-19", and "critical illness in children with COVID-19". RESULTS Risks of developing severe COVID-19 in children escalate with increasing numbers of co-morbidities and an unvaccinated status. Acute respiratory distress stress and necrotizing pneumonia are prominent pulmonary manifestations, while various forms of cardiovascular and neurological involvement may also be seen. Multiple immunological processes are implicated in the host response to COVID-19 including the type I interferon and inflammasome pathways, whose dysregulation in severe and critical diseases translates into adverse clinical manifestations. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a potentially life-threatening immune-mediated condition chronologically associated with COVID-19 exposure, denotes another scientific and clinical conundrum that exemplifies the complexity of pediatric immunity. Despite the considerable dissimilarities between the pediatric and adult immune systems, clinical trials dedicated to children are lacking and current management recommendations are largely adapted from adult guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Severe pediatric COVID-19 can affect multiple organ systems. The dysregulated immune pathways in severe COVID-19 shape the disease course, epitomize the vast functional diversity of the pediatric immune system and highlight the immunophenotypical differences between children and adults. Consequently, further research may be warranted to adequately address them in pediatric-specific clinical practice guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Kan Sun
- Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310030, China
| | - Can Wang
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Pei-Quan Lin
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Jing Ye
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Ru Lin
- Department of Cardiopulmonary and Extracorporeal Life Support, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Hao-Min Li
- Clinical Data Center, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Qiang Shu
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Li-Su Huang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
| | - Lin-Hua Tan
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
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16
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Violi F, Harenberg J, Pignatelli P, Cammisotto V. COVID-19 and Long-COVID Thrombosis: From Clinical and Basic Science to Therapeutics. Thromb Haemost 2024; 124:286-296. [PMID: 37967846 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1776713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus infectious disease-19 (COVID-19) is a pandemic characterized by serious lung disease and thrombotic events in the venous and circulation trees, which represent a harmful clinical sign of poor outcome. Thrombotic events are more frequent in patients with severe disease requiring intensive care units and are associated with platelet and clotting activation. However, after resolution of acute infection, patients may still have clinical sequelae, the so-called long-COVID-19, including thrombotic events again in the venous and arterial circulation. The mechanisms accounting for thrombosis in acute and long COVID-19 have not been fully clarified; interactions of COVID-19 with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 or toll-like receptor family or infection-induced cytokine storm have been suggested to be implicated in endothelial cells, leucocytes, and platelets to elicit clotting activation in acute as well in chronic phase of the disease. In acute COVID-19, prophylactic or full doses of anticoagulants exert beneficial effects even if the dosage choice is still under investigation; however, a residual risk still remains suggesting a need for a more appropriate therapeutic approach. In long COVID-19 preliminary data provided useful information in terms of antiplatelet treatment but definition of candidates for thrombotic prophylaxis is still undefined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Violi
- Department of Clinical Internal, Anaesthesiologic and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Via Orazio, Naples, Italy
| | - Job Harenberg
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht-karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pasquale Pignatelli
- Department of Clinical Internal, Anaesthesiologic and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Via Orazio, Naples, Italy
| | - Vittoria Cammisotto
- Department of Clinical Internal, Anaesthesiologic and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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17
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Huang K, Li Z, He X, Dai J, Huang B, Shi Y, Fan D, Zhang Z, Liu Y, Li N, Zhang Z, Peng J, Liu C, Zeng R, Cen Z, Wang T, Yang W, Cen M, Li J, Yuan S, Zhang L, Hu D, Huang S, Chen P, Lai P, Lin L, Wen J, Zhao Z, Huang X, Yuan L, Zhou L, Wu H, Huang L, Feng K, Wang J, Liao B, Cai W, Deng X, Li Y, Li J, Hu Z, Yang L, Li J, Zhuo Y, Zhang F, Lin L, Luo Y, Zhang W, Ni Q, Hong X, Chang G, Zhang Y, Guan D, Cai W, Lu Y, Li F, Yan L, Ren M, Li L, Chen S. Gut microbial co-metabolite 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine exacerbates thrombosis via binding to and activating integrin α2β1. Cell Metab 2024; 36:598-616.e9. [PMID: 38401546 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.01.014] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Thrombosis represents the leading cause of death and disability upon major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Numerous pathological conditions such as COVID-19 and metabolic disorders can lead to a heightened thrombotic risk; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our study illustrates that 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine (2MBC), a branched-chain acylcarnitine, is accumulated in patients with COVID-19 and in patients with MACEs. 2MBC enhances platelet hyperreactivity and thrombus formation in mice. Mechanistically, 2MBC binds to integrin α2β1 in platelets, potentiating cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activation and platelet hyperresponsiveness. Genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of integrin α2β1 largely reverses the pro-thrombotic effects of 2MBC. Notably, 2MBC can be generated in a gut-microbiota-dependent manner, whereas the accumulation of plasma 2MBC and its thrombosis-aggravating effect are largely ameliorated following antibiotic-induced microbial depletion. Our study implicates 2MBC as a metabolite that links gut microbiota dysbiosis to elevated thrombotic risk, providing mechanistic insight and a potential therapeutic strategy for thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China; Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Zilun Li
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Xi He
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Jun Dai
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510700, China
| | - Bingding Huang
- College of Big Data and Internet, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518118, China
| | - Yongxia Shi
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510700, China
| | - Dongxiao Fan
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Zefeng Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Yunchong Liu
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Na Li
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Zhongyu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Jiangyun Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Chenshu Liu
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Renli Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Zhipeng Cen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Tengyao Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Wenchao Yang
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Meifeng Cen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China
| | - Jingyu Li
- College of Big Data and Internet, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518118, China
| | - Shuai Yuan
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510700, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510700, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510700, China
| | - Shuxiang Huang
- Guangzhou Customs District Technology Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510700, China
| | - Pin Chen
- National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Peilong Lai
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Liyan Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Jielu Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Zhengde Zhao
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Xiuyi Huang
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Lining Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Lifang Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Haoliang Wu
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Lihua Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China
| | - Kai Feng
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Baolin Liao
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Weiping Cai
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Xilong Deng
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Yueping Li
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Jianping Li
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Zhongwei Hu
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Li Yang
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Jiaojiao Li
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Youguang Zhuo
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Fuchun Zhang
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Lin Lin
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China
| | - Yifeng Luo
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Institute of Pulmonary Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Wuhan Metware Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Qianlin Ni
- Wuhan Metware Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xiqiang Hong
- Wuhan Metware Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Guangqi Chang
- Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, China
| | - Dongxian Guan
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Weikang Cai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Yutong Lu
- National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510620, China
| | - Li Yan
- Guangdong Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases (Diabetes), Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China
| | - Meng Ren
- Guangdong Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases (Diabetes), Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
| | - Linghua Li
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China.
| | - Sifan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China; Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, Guangdong 528200, China.
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18
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Gheorghita R, Soldanescu I, Lobiuc A, Caliman Sturdza OA, Filip R, Constantinescu – Bercu A, Dimian M, Mangul S, Covasa M. The knowns and unknowns of long COVID-19: from mechanisms to therapeutical approaches. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1344086. [PMID: 38500880 PMCID: PMC10944866 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1344086] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been defined as the greatest global health and socioeconomic crisis of modern times. While most people recover after being infected with the virus, a significant proportion of them continue to experience health issues weeks, months and even years after acute infection with SARS-CoV-2. This persistence of clinical symptoms in infected individuals for at least three months after the onset of the disease or the emergence of new symptoms lasting more than two months, without any other explanation and alternative diagnosis have been named long COVID, long-haul COVID, post-COVID-19 conditions, chronic COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). Long COVID has been characterized as a constellation of symptoms and disorders that vary widely in their manifestations. Further, the mechanisms underlying long COVID are not fully understood, which hamper efficient treatment options. This review describes predictors and the most common symptoms related to long COVID's effects on the central and peripheral nervous system and other organs and tissues. Furthermore, the transcriptional markers, molecular signaling pathways and risk factors for long COVID, such as sex, age, pre-existing condition, hospitalization during acute phase of COVID-19, vaccination, and lifestyle are presented. Finally, recommendations for patient rehabilitation and disease management, as well as alternative therapeutical approaches to long COVID sequelae are discussed. Understanding the complexity of this disease, its symptoms across multiple organ systems and overlapping pathologies and its possible mechanisms are paramount in developing diagnostic tools and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Gheorghita
- Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Biological Science, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Iuliana Soldanescu
- Integrated Center for Research, Development and Innovation for Advanced Materials, Nanotechnologies, Manufacturing and Control Distributed Systems (MANSiD), University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Andrei Lobiuc
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Biological Science, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Olga Adriana Caliman Sturdza
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Biological Science, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
- Suceava Emergency Clinical County Hospital, Suceava, Romania
| | - Roxana Filip
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Biological Science, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
- Suceava Emergency Clinical County Hospital, Suceava, Romania
| | - Adela Constantinescu – Bercu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Biological Science, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Hemostasis Research Unit, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Mihai Dimian
- Integrated Center for Research, Development and Innovation for Advanced Materials, Nanotechnologies, Manufacturing and Control Distributed Systems (MANSiD), University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
- Department of Computer, Electronics and Automation, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
| | - Serghei Mangul
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mihai Covasa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Biological Science, University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pomona, CA, United States
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19
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Turner S, Naidoo CA, Usher TJ, Kruger A, Venter C, Laubscher GJ, Khan MA, Kell DB, Pretorius E. Increased Levels of Inflammatory and Endothelial Biomarkers in Blood of Long COVID Patients Point to Thrombotic Endothelialitis. Semin Thromb Hemost 2024; 50:288-294. [PMID: 37207671 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1769014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The prevailing hypotheses for the persistent symptoms of Long COVID have been narrowed down to immune dysregulation and autoantibodies, widespread organ damage, viral persistence, and fibrinaloid microclots (entrapping numerous inflammatory molecules) together with platelet hyperactivation. Here we demonstrate significantly increased concentrations of von Willebrand factor (VWF), platelet factor 4 (PF4), serum amyloid A (SAA), α-2 antiplasmin (α-2AP), endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule 1 (E-selectin), and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) in the soluble part of the blood. It was noteworthy that the mean level of α-2 antiplasmin exceeded the upper limit of the laboratory reference range in Long COVID patients, and the other 5 were significantly elevated in Long COVID patients as compared to the controls. This is alarming if we take into consideration that a significant amount of the total burden of these inflammatory molecules has previously been shown to be entrapped inside fibrinolysis-resistant microclots (thus decreasing the apparent level of the soluble molecules). We conclude that presence of microclotting, together with relatively high levels of six biomarkers known to be key drivers of endothelial and clotting pathology, points to thrombotic endothelialitis as a key pathological process in Long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Turner
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Caitlin A Naidoo
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Thomas J Usher
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Arneaux Kruger
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Chantelle Venter
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - M Asad Khan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology; Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology; Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Lyngby, Denmark
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20
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Smith MM, Melrose J. Lumican, a Multifunctional Cell Instructive Biomarker Proteoglycan Has Novel Roles as a Marker of the Hypercoagulative State of Long Covid Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2825. [PMID: 38474072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052825] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This study has reviewed the many roles of lumican as a biomarker of tissue pathology in health and disease. Lumican is a structure regulatory proteoglycan of collagen-rich tissues, with cell instructive properties through interactions with a number of cell surface receptors in tissue repair, thereby regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, inflammation and the innate and humoral immune systems to combat infection. The exponential increase in publications in the last decade dealing with lumican testify to its role as a pleiotropic biomarker regulatory protein. Recent findings show lumican has novel roles as a biomarker of the hypercoagulative state that occurs in SARS CoV-2 infections; thus, it may also prove useful in the delineation of the complex tissue changes that characterize COVID-19 disease. Lumican may be useful as a prognostic and diagnostic biomarker of long COVID disease and its sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M Smith
- Raymond Purves Laboratory, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Health and Science, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
- Arthropharm Pty Ltd., Bondi Junction, NSW 2022, Australia
| | - James Melrose
- Raymond Purves Laboratory, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Health and Science, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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21
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Krishna BA, Lim EY, Metaxaki M, Jackson S, Mactavous L, Lyons PA, Doffinger R, Bradley JR, Smith KGC, Sinclair J, Matheson NJ, Lehner PJ, Sithole N, Wills MR. Spontaneous, persistent, T cell-dependent IFN-γ release in patients who progress to Long Covid. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi9379. [PMID: 38381822 PMCID: PMC10881041 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi9379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
After acute infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a proportion of patients experience persistent symptoms beyond 12 weeks, termed Long Covid. Understanding the mechanisms that cause this debilitating disease and identifying biomarkers for diagnostic, therapeutic, and monitoring purposes are urgently required. We detected persistently high levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with Long Covid using highly sensitive FluoroSpot assays. This IFN-γ release was seen in the absence of ex vivo peptide stimulation and remains persistently elevated in patients with Long Covid, unlike the resolution seen in patients recovering from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The IFN-γ release was CD8+ T cell-mediated and dependent on antigen presentation by CD14+ cells. Longitudinal follow-up of our study cohort showed that symptom improvement and resolution correlated with a decrease in IFN-γ production to baseline levels. Our study highlights a potential mechanism underlying Long Covid, enabling the search for biomarkers and therapeutics in patients with Long Covid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A. Krishna
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Eleanor Y. Lim
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Marina Metaxaki
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Sarah Jackson
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Lenette Mactavous
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - NIHR BioResource
- NIHR BioResource, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Paul A. Lyons
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Rainer Doffinger
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - John R. Bradley
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- NIHR BioResource, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Renal Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Kenneth G. C. Smith
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - John Sinclair
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Nicholas J. Matheson
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- NHS Blood and Transplant, Cambridge CB2 0PT, UK
| | - Paul J. Lehner
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Nyaradzai Sithole
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Mark R. Wills
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
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22
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Valencia I, Lumpuy-Castillo J, Magalhaes G, Sánchez-Ferrer CF, Lorenzo Ó, Peiró C. Mechanisms of endothelial activation, hypercoagulation and thrombosis in COVID-19: a link with diabetes mellitus. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2024; 23:75. [PMID: 38378550 PMCID: PMC10880237 DOI: 10.1186/s12933-023-02097-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Early since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical and scientific community were aware of extra respiratory actions of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Endothelitis, hypercoagulation, and hypofibrinolysis were identified in COVID-19 patients as subsequent responses of endothelial dysfunction. Activation of the endothelial barrier may increase the severity of the disease and contribute to long-COVID syndrome and post-COVID sequelae. Besides, it may cause alterations in primary, secondary, and tertiary hemostasis. Importantly, these responses have been highly decisive in the evolution of infected patients also diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), who showed previous endothelial dysfunction. In this review, we provide an overview of the potential triggers of endothelial activation related to COVID-19 and COVID-19 under diabetic milieu. Several mechanisms are induced by both the viral particle itself and by the subsequent immune-defensive response (i.e., NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, vasoactive peptides, cytokine storm, NETosis, activation of the complement system). Alterations in coagulation mediators such as factor VIII, fibrin, tissue factor, the von Willebrand factor: ADAMST-13 ratio, and the kallikrein-kinin or plasminogen-plasmin systems have been reported. Moreover, an imbalance of thrombotic and thrombolytic (tPA, PAI-I, fibrinogen) factors favors hypercoagulation and hypofibrinolysis. In the context of DM, these mechanisms can be exacerbated leading to higher loss of hemostasis. However, a series of therapeutic strategies targeting the activated endothelium such as specific antibodies or inhibitors against thrombin, key cytokines, factor X, complement system, the kallikrein-kinin system or NETosis, might represent new opportunities to address this hypercoagulable state present in COVID-19 and DM. Antidiabetics may also ameliorate endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and platelet aggregation. By improving the microvascular pathology in COVID-19 and post-COVID subjects, the associated comorbidities and the risk of mortality could be reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Valencia
- Molecular Neuroinflammation and Neuronal Plasticity Research Laboratory, Hospital Universitario Santa Cristina, IIS Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, 28009, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jairo Lumpuy-Castillo
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Vascular Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre On Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM) Network, Madrid, Spain
| | - Giselle Magalhaes
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos F Sánchez-Ferrer
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Vascular Pharmacology and Metabolism (FARMAVASM), IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar Lorenzo
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Vascular Pathology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre On Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM) Network, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Concepción Peiró
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
- Vascular Pharmacology and Metabolism (FARMAVASM), IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.
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23
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Bellone S, Siegel ER, Scheim DE, Santin AD. Increased von Willebrand and Factor VIII plasma levels in gynecologic patients with Post-Acute-COVID-Sequela (PASC)/Long COVID. Gynecol Oncol Rep 2024; 51:101324. [PMID: 38273933 PMCID: PMC10809113 DOI: 10.1016/j.gore.2024.101324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Up to 30 % of COVID-infected patients may develop post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also known as Long COVID (LC), a syndrome characterized by a variety of debilitating symptoms lasting for more than 3 months after the acute infection. While the pathophysiological mechanisms behind PASC/LC are not completely understood, growing evidence suggests that an important component of this syndrome may be related to persistent microvascular inflammation causing clumping/clotting of red blood cells and platelets and thrombotic complications. We retrospectively evaluated the plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF), Factor VIII and D-dimer in 10 gynecologic patients (60 % with an endometrial or ovarian cancer diagnosis) affected by PASC/LC vs 5 control patients (60 % harboring endometrial or ovarian tumors). We found elevated VWF and Factor VIII levels in all 10 PASC/LC patients (means of 254 % and 229 %, respectively) vs none of the 5 randomly selected cancer control patients (means of 108 % and 95 %, respectively), p = 0.0046 and p < 0.0001, respectively. In contrast, no significant difference was noted in the levels of D-dimer in PASC/LC. Importantly, abnormally elevated VWF and Factor VIII levels were found to persist for at least 2 years in patients with Long COVID symptoms. VWF and Factor VIII but not D-dimer levels are significantly elevated in the plasma of PASC/LC cancer patients. Abnormally and persistently elevated VWF and Factor VIII levels may represent the results of persistent microvascular damage (i.e., spike-induced endotheliosis) and may be biomarkers of persistent inflammation in gynecologic patients with PASC/LC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Bellone
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Eric R. Siegel
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - David E. Scheim
- US Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps, Inactive Reserve, Blacksburg, VA 24060-6367, USA
| | - Alessandro D. Santin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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24
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Kell DB, Khan MA, Kane B, Lip GYH, Pretorius E. Possible Role of Fibrinaloid Microclots in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): Focus on Long COVID. J Pers Med 2024; 14:170. [PMID: 38392604 PMCID: PMC10890060 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14020170] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a common accompaniment of a variety of chronic, inflammatory diseases, including long COVID, as are small, insoluble, 'fibrinaloid' microclots. We here develop the argument, with accompanying evidence, that fibrinaloid microclots, through their ability to block the flow of blood through microcapillaries and thus cause tissue hypoxia, are not simply correlated with but in fact, by preceding it, may be a chief intermediary cause of POTS, in which tachycardia is simply the body's exaggerated 'physiological' response to hypoxia. Similar reasoning accounts for the symptoms bundled under the term 'fatigue'. Amyloids are known to be membrane disruptors, and when their targets are nerve membranes, this can explain neurotoxicity and hence the autonomic nervous system dysfunction that contributes to POTS. Taken together as a system view, we indicate that fibrinaloid microclots can serve to link POTS and fatigue in long COVID in a manner that is at once both mechanistic and explanatory. This has clear implications for the treatment of such diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Building 220, Chemitorvet 200, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa
| | - Muhammed Asad Khan
- Directorate of Respiratory Medicine, Manchester University Hospitals, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester M23 9LT, UK
| | - Binita Kane
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- Manchester University Foundation Trust and School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Gregory Y H Lip
- Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool L14 3PE, UK
- Danish Center for Health Services Research, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa
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25
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Appelman B, Charlton BT, Goulding RP, Kerkhoff TJ, Breedveld EA, Noort W, Offringa C, Bloemers FW, van Weeghel M, Schomakers BV, Coelho P, Posthuma JJ, Aronica E, Joost Wiersinga W, van Vugt M, Wüst RCI. Muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in long COVID. Nat Commun 2024; 15:17. [PMID: 38177128 PMCID: PMC10766651 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44432-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
A subgroup of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 remain symptomatic over three months after infection. A distinctive symptom of patients with long COVID is post-exertional malaise, which is associated with a worsening of fatigue- and pain-related symptoms after acute mental or physical exercise, but its underlying pathophysiology is unclear. With this longitudinal case-control study (NCT05225688), we provide new insights into the pathophysiology of post-exertional malaise in patients with long COVID. We show that skeletal muscle structure is associated with a lower exercise capacity in patients, and local and systemic metabolic disturbances, severe exercise-induced myopathy and tissue infiltration of amyloid-containing deposits in skeletal muscles of patients with long COVID worsen after induction of post-exertional malaise. This study highlights novel pathways that help to understand the pathophysiology of post-exertional malaise in patients suffering from long COVID and other post-infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Appelman
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Braeden T Charlton
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Richie P Goulding
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tom J Kerkhoff
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Physiology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ellen A Breedveld
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wendy Noort
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carla Offringa
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank W Bloemers
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Trauma Surgery, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michel van Weeghel
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Core Facility Metabolomics, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bauke V Schomakers
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Core Facility Metabolomics, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pedro Coelho
- Serviço de Neurologia, Departamento de Neurociências e Saúde Mental, Hospital de Santa Maria, CHULN, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of (Neuro)pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jelle J Posthuma
- Department of Trauma Surgery, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Flevoziekenhuis, Division of Surgery, Hospitaalweg 1, Almere, the Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - W Joost Wiersinga
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michèle van Vugt
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Rob C I Wüst
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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26
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El-Baky NA, Amara AA, Uversky VN, Redwan EM. Intrinsic factors behind long COVID: III. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 and its components. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:22-44. [PMID: 38098317 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30514] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Considerable research has been done in investigating SARS-CoV-2 infection, its characteristics, and host immune response. However, debate is still ongoing over the emergence of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). A multitude of long-lasting symptoms have been reported several weeks after the primary acute SARS-CoV-2 infection that resemble several other viral infections. Thousands of research articles have described various post-COVID-19 conditions. Yet, the evidence around these ongoing health problems, the reasons behind them, and their molecular underpinnings are scarce. These persistent symptoms are also known as long COVID-19. The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 and/or its components in host tissues can lead to long COVID. For example, the presence of viral nucleocapsid protein and RNA was detected in the skin, appendix, and breast tissues of some long COVID patients. The persistence of viral RNA was reported in multiple anatomic sites, including non-respiratory tissues such as the adrenal gland, ocular tissue, small intestine, lymph nodes, myocardium, and sciatic nerve. Distinctive viral spike sequence variants were also found in non-respiratory tissues. Interestingly, prolonged detection of viral subgenomic RNA was observed across all tissues, sometimes in multiple tissues of the same patient, which likely reflects recent but defective viral replication. Moreover, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was noticed throughout the brain at autopsy, as late as 230 days following symptom onset among unvaccinated patients who died of severe infection. Here, we review the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 and its components as an intrinsic factor behind long COVID. We also highlight the immunological consequences of this viral persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawal Abd El-Baky
- Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City, Egypt
| | - Amro A Amara
- Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City, Egypt
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Elrashdy M Redwan
- Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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27
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Gu X, Wang S, Zhang W, Li C, Guo L, Wang Z, Li H, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Liang W, Li H, Liu Y, Wang Y, Huang L, Dong T, Zhang D, Wong CCL, Cao B. Probing long COVID through a proteomic lens: a comprehensive two-year longitudinal cohort study of hospitalised survivors. EBioMedicine 2023; 98:104851. [PMID: 37924708 PMCID: PMC10660018 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a debilitating condition that can impact a whole spectrum of people and involve multi-organ systems, long COVID has aroused the most attention than ever. However, mechanisms of long COVID are not clearly understood, and underlying biomarkers that can affect the long-term consequences of COVID-19 are paramount to be identified. METHODS Participants for the current study were from a cohort study of COVID-19 survivors discharged from hospital between Jan 7, and May 29, 2020. We profiled the proteomic of plasma samples from hospitalised COVID-19 survivors at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year after symptom onset and age and sex matched healthy controls. Fold-change of >2 or <0.5, and false-discovery rate adjusted P value of 0.05 were used to filter differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). In-genuity pathway analysis was performed to explore the down-stream effects in the dataset of significantly up- or down-regulated proteins. Proteins were integrated with long-term consequences of COVID-19 survivors to explore potential biomarkers of long COVID. FINDINGS The proteomic of 709 plasma samples from 181 COVID-19 survivors and 181 matched healthy controls was profiled. In both COVID-19 and control group, 114 (63%) were male. The results indicated four major recovery modes of biological processes. Pathways related to cell-matrix interactions and cytoskeletal remodeling and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy pathways recovered relatively earlier which was before 1-year after infection. Majority of immune response pathways, complement and coagulation cascade, and cholesterol metabolism returned to similar status of matched healthy controls later but before 2-year after infection. Fc receptor signaling pathway still did not return to status similar to healthy controls at 2-year follow-up. Pathways related to neuron generation and differentiation showed persistent suppression across 2-year after infection. Among 98 DEPs from the above pathways, evidence was found for association of 11 proteins with lung function recovery, with the associations consistent at two consecutive or all three follow-ups. These proteins were mainly enriched in complement and coagulation (COMP, PLG, SERPINE1, SRGN, COL1A1, FLNA, and APOE) and hypertrophic/dilated cardiomyopathy (TPM2, TPM1, and AGT) pathways. Two DEPs (APOA4 and LRP1) involved in both neuron and cholesterol pathways showed associations with smell disorder. INTERPRETATION The study findings provided molecular insights into potential mechanism of long COVID, and put forward biomarkers for more precise intervention to reduce burden of long COVID. FUNDING National Natural Science Foundation of China; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences; Clinical Research Operating Fund of Central High Level Hospitals; the Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Medical Science; Training Program of the Big Science Strategy Plan; Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China; New Cornerstone Science Foundation; Peking Union Medical College Education Foundation; Research Funds from Health@InnoHK Program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Gu
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine; State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity; National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Department of Clinical Research and Data Management, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China; Changping Laboratory, Beijing, PR China
| | - Siyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Clinical Research Institute, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Wanying Zhang
- National Center for Respiratory Medicine; State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity; National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Caihong Li
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China; Wuhan Research Center for Communicable Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Li Guo
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease Pathogenomics, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China; NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and Christophe Merieux Laboratory, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Zai Wang
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, PR China; Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Haibo Li
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, PR China; National Center for Respiratory Medicine; State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity; National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Clinical Research Institute, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yuhan Zhou
- Foreseen Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China
| | | | - Hui Li
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Clinical Research Institute, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Clinical Research Institute, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China; Department of Infectious Disease, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, PR China
| | - Yeming Wang
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Clinical Research Institute, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Lixue Huang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Tao Dong
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS) Oxford Institute (COI), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dingyu Zhang
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China; Wuhan Research Center for Communicable Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China; Hubei Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China.
| | - Catherine C L Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Clinical Research Institute, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Bin Cao
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, PR China; National Center for Respiratory Medicine; State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity; National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases; Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China; Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, PR China.
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28
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Connors JM, Ariëns RAS. Uncertainties about the roles of anticoagulation and microclots in postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. J Thromb Haemost 2023; 21:2697-2701. [PMID: 37495081 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Three years after the start of the pandemic, approaches to the prevention and treatment of acute COVID-19 have been established. However, postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) is now the focus of current investigations searching for the etiology of the symptoms and developing diagnostic and treatment strategies, as up to 10% of those with acute COVID-19 will go on to develop PASC, a significant public health burden. Some have suggested that ongoing microvascular thrombosis and microclots may play a role in the persistent sequelae of COVID-19 infection. Treatments are being given to address the presumed role of thrombosis in PASC, and some suggest that randomized controlled trials of anticoagulants in patients with PASC should be performed. In this Forum article, we focus on findings from patients with PASC that have led to the suggestion of using anticoagulants and discuss alternative considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean M Connors
- Hematology Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Robert A S Ariëns
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, UK
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29
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Rachkovska A, Krenytska D, Karbovskyy V, Raksha N, Halenova T, Vovk T, Savchuk O, Ostapchenko L. A study of fibrinolytic system components in donor groups depending on various titers of circulating anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the bloodstream. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2023; 34:439-445. [PMID: 37577922 DOI: 10.1097/mbc.0000000000001248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The fibrinolytic system plays an important role in controlling blood coagulation at each stage, from thrombin generation to fibrin clot cleavage. Currently, long-term multiorgan dysfunction post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may include coagulation disorders. Little information is available about the potential causes of post-COVID-19 coagulopathy, but one of them may be subpopulation IgG produced by the immune system against SARS-CoV-2. This article describes the changes in the main parameters of the fibrinolytic system in donors with various titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, which is part of a complex study of the hemostasis system in these donor groups. We determined the most significant parameters of the fibrinolytic system, such as potential activity and amount of plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), amount of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), inhibitory potentials of α-2-antiplasmin, α-1-antitrypsin, α-2-macroglobulin in the blood plasma of donor groups. The obtained results represent the maximum and minimum values of measurement parameters among donor groups with titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG at least 10 ± 3 Index (S/C), and their statistical differences from the reference point [donor group with titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG 0 Index (S/C)]. We established the changes in fibrinolytic parameters depending on the titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG. One conclusion can be drawn from this: anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG population may influence coagulation in the post-COVID-19 period. Further research in-vitro and in-vivo experimental models using selected and purified IgG may confirm our previous findings.
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30
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Su S, Zhao Y, Zeng N, Liu X, Zheng Y, Sun J, Zhong Y, Wu S, Ni S, Gong Y, Zhang Z, Gao N, Yuan K, Yan W, Shi L, Ravindran AV, Kosten T, Shi J, Bao Y, Lu L. Epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and management of long COVID: an update. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4056-4069. [PMID: 37491461 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02171-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections have highlighted the long-term consequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection called long COVID. Although the concept and definition of long COVID are described differently across countries and institutions, there is general agreement that it affects multiple systems, including the immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neuropsychological, musculoskeletal, and other systems. This review aims to provide a synthesis of published epidemiology, symptoms, and risk factors of long COVID. We also summarize potential pathophysiological mechanisms and biomarkers for precise prevention, early diagnosis, and accurate treatment of long COVID. Furthermore, we suggest evidence-based guidelines for the comprehensive evaluation and management of long COVID, involving treatment, health systems, health finance, public attitudes, and international cooperation, which is proposed to improve the treatment strategies, preventive measures, and public health policy making of long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sizhen Su
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Yimiao Zhao
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Scholl of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Na Zeng
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Scholl of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxing Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Yongbo Zheng
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Pain Medicine Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Shuilin Wu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Scholl of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyu Ni
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Scholl of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yimiao Gong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhibo Zhang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Nan Gao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Le Shi
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Arun V Ravindran
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Thomas Kosten
- Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jie Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanping Bao
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Scholl of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Lin Lu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Tziolos NR, Ioannou P, Baliou S, Kofteridis DP. Long COVID-19 Pathophysiology: What Do We Know So Far? Microorganisms 2023; 11:2458. [PMID: 37894116 PMCID: PMC10609046 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Long COVID-19 is a recognized entity that affects millions of people worldwide. Its broad clinical symptoms include thrombotic events, brain fog, myocarditis, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle pains, and others. Due to the binding of the virus with ACE-2 receptors, expressed in many organs, it can potentially affect any system; however, it most often affects the cardiovascular, central nervous, respiratory, and immune systems. Age, high body mass index, female sex, previous hospitalization, and smoking are some of its risk factors. Despite great efforts to define its pathophysiology, gaps remain to be explained. The main mechanisms described in the literature involve viral persistence, hypercoagulopathy, immune dysregulation, autoimmunity, hyperinflammation, or a combination of these. The exact mechanisms may differ from system to system, but some share the same pathways. This review aims to describe the most prevalent pathophysiological pathways explaining this syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos-Renatos Tziolos
- Department of Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece (D.P.K.)
| | - Petros Ioannou
- Department of Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece (D.P.K.)
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Stella Baliou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Diamantis P. Kofteridis
- Department of Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece (D.P.K.)
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Ruiz-Pablos M, Paiva B, Zabaleta A. Epstein-Barr virus-acquired immunodeficiency in myalgic encephalomyelitis-Is it present in long COVID? J Transl Med 2023; 21:633. [PMID: 37718435 PMCID: PMC10506247 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04515-7] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Both myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID (LC) are characterized by similar immunological alterations, persistence of chronic viral infection, autoimmunity, chronic inflammatory state, viral reactivation, hypocortisolism, and microclot formation. They also present with similar symptoms such as asthenia, exercise intolerance, sleep disorders, cognitive dysfunction, and neurological and gastrointestinal complaints. In addition, both pathologies present Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation, indicating the possibility of this virus being the link between both pathologies. Therefore, we propose that latency and recurrent EBV reactivation could generate an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in three steps: first, an acquired EBV immunodeficiency develops in individuals with "weak" EBV HLA-II haplotypes, which prevents the control of latency I cells. Second, ectopic lymphoid structures with EBV latency form in different tissues (including the CNS), promoting inflammatory responses and further impairment of cell-mediated immunity. Finally, immune exhaustion occurs due to chronic exposure to viral antigens, with consolidation of the disease. In the case of LC, prior to the first step, there is the possibility of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with "weak" HLA-II haplotypes against this virus and/or EBV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bruno Paiva
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Av. Pío XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Aintzane Zabaleta
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Av. Pío XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
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Krishna B, Wills M, Sithole N. Long COVID: what is known and what gaps need to be addressed. Br Med Bull 2023; 147:6-19. [PMID: 37434326 PMCID: PMC10502447 DOI: 10.1093/bmb/ldad016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Long COVID is a chronic condition that follows after acute COVID-19 and is characterized by a wide range of persistent, cyclic symptoms. SOURCES OF DATA PubMed search for publications featuring 'Long COVID' or 'post-acute sequelae of COVID-19'. AREAS OF AGREEMENT Long COVID occurs frequently post-acute COVID-19, with a majority of people experiencing at least one symptom (such as cough, fatigue, myalgia, anosmia and dyspnoea) 4 weeks after infection. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY The specific symptoms and the minimum duration of symptoms required to be defined as Long COVID. GROWING POINTS There is a consistent reduction in Long COVID incidence amongst vaccinated individuals, although the extent of this effect remains unclear. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH There is an urgent need to understand the causes of Long COVID, especially extreme fatigue more than 6 months after infection. We must understand who is at risk and whether reinfections similarly risk Long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Krishna
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Mark Wills
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Nyaradzai Sithole
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
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Nyasulu PS, Tamuzi JL, Erasmus RT. Burden, causation, and particularities of Long COVID in African populations: A rapid systematic review. IJID REGIONS 2023; 8:137-144. [PMID: 37674565 PMCID: PMC10477483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Objectives To determine the prevalence of long COVID, its most common symptoms, comorbidities, and pathophysiological mechanisms in African populations. Methods A systematic review of long COVID in African populations was conducted. The random effects model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence rates (95% CI). A narrative synthesis was also performed. Results We included 14 studies from seven African countries, totaling 6030 previously SARS-CoV-2 infected participants and 2954 long COVID patients. Long COVID had a pooled prevalence of 41% (26-56%). Fatigue, dyspnea, and confusion or lack of concentration were the most common symptoms, with prevalence rates (95% CI) of 41% (26-56%), 25% (12-38%), and 40% (12-68%), respectively. Long COVID was mainly associated with advanced age, being female, more than three long COVID symptoms in the acute phase, initial fatigue and dyspnea, COVID-19 severity, pre-existing obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and the presence of any chronic illness (P ≤0.05). High microclot and platelet-poor plasma viscosity explained the pathophysiology of long COVID. Conclusion Long COVID prevalence in Africa was comparable to the global prevalence. The most common symptoms were higher in Africa. Comorbidities associated with long COVID may lead to additional complications in African populations due to hypercoagulation and thrombosis.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023430024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S. Nyasulu
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jacques L. Tamuzi
- Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rajiv T. Erasmus
- Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University & NHLS Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
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Buonsenso D, Martino L, Morello R, Mariani F, Fearnley K, Valentini P. Viral persistence in children infected with SARS-CoV-2: current evidence and future research strategies. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2023; 4:e745-e756. [PMID: 37385286 PMCID: PMC10292824 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00115-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
In this Personal View, we discuss current knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen persistence in children infected with SARS-CoV-2. Based on the evidence that the virus can persist in adults, we have done a literature review and analysed studies that looked for SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigens in children undergoing autopsy, biopsy, or surgery for either death from COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or assessments for long COVID-19 or other conditions. Our analysis suggests that in children, independent from disease severity, SARS-CoV-2 can spread systemically and persist for weeks to months. We discuss what is known about the biological effects of viral persistence for other viral infections and highlight new scenarios for clinical, pharmacological, and basic research exploration. Such an approach will improve the understanding and management of post-viral syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Buonsenso
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Centro di Salute Globale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
| | - Laura Martino
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Morello
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Mariani
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Piero Valentini
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Turner S, Laubscher GJ, Khan MA, Kell DB, Pretorius E. Accelerating discovery: A novel flow cytometric method for detecting fibrin(ogen) amyloid microclots using long COVID as a model. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19605. [PMID: 37809592 PMCID: PMC10558872 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19605] [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: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Long COVID has become a significant global health and economic burden, yet there are currently no established methods or diagnostic tools to identify which patients might benefit from specific treatments. One of the major pathophysiological factors contributing to Long COVID is the presence of hypercoagulability; this results in insoluble amyloid microclots that are resistant to fibrinolysis. Our previous research using fluorescence microscopy has demonstrated a significant amyloid microclot load in Long COVID patients. However, this approach lacked the elements of statistical robustness, objectivity, and rapid throughput. In the current study, we have used imaging flow cytometry for the first time to show a significantly increased concentration and size of these microclots. We identified notable variations in size and fluorescence between microclots in Long COVID and those of controls even using a 20× objective. By combining cell imaging and the high-event-rate and full-sample analysis nature of a conventional flow cytometer, imaging flow cytometry can eliminate erroneous results and increase accuracy in gating and analysis beyond what pure quantitative measurements from conventional flow cytometry can provide. Although imaging flow cytometry was used in our study, our results suggest that the signals indicating the presence of microclots should be easily detectable using a conventional flow cytometer. Flow cytometry is a more widely available technique than fluorescence microscopy and has been used in pathology laboratories for decades, rendering it a potentially more suitable and accessible method for detecting microclots in individuals suffering from Long COVID or conditions with similar pathology, such as myalgic encephalomyelitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Turner
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | | | - M Asad Khan
- Respiratory Medicine, Manchester University Hospitals, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, M23 9LT, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas B. Kell
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 200, 2800, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
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37
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Kell DB, Pretorius E. Are fibrinaloid microclots a cause of autoimmunity in Long Covid and other post-infection diseases? Biochem J 2023; 480:1217-1240. [PMID: 37584410 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that the blood-clotting protein fibrinogen can polymerise into an anomalous form of fibrin that is amyloid in character; the resultant clots and microclots entrap many other molecules, stain with fluorogenic amyloid stains, are rather resistant to fibrinolysis, can block up microcapillaries, are implicated in a variety of diseases including Long COVID, and have been referred to as fibrinaloids. A necessary corollary of this anomalous polymerisation is the generation of novel epitopes in proteins that would normally be seen as 'self', and otherwise immunologically silent. The precise conformation of the resulting fibrinaloid clots (that, as with prions and classical amyloid proteins, can adopt multiple, stable conformations) must depend on the existing small molecules and metal ions that the fibrinogen may (and is some cases is known to) have bound before polymerisation. Any such novel epitopes, however, are likely to lead to the generation of autoantibodies. A convergent phenomenology, including distinct conformations and seeding of the anomalous form for initiation and propagation, is emerging to link knowledge in prions, prionoids, amyloids and now fibrinaloids. We here summarise the evidence for the above reasoning, which has substantial implications for our understanding of the genesis of autoimmunity (and the possible prevention thereof) based on the primary process of fibrinaloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 200, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
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Janket SJ, Fraser DD, Baird AE, Tamimi F, Sohaei D, Conte HA, Prassas I, Diamandis EP. Tachykinins and the potential causal factors for post-COVID-19 condition. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2023; 4:e642-e650. [PMID: 37327802 PMCID: PMC10263974 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00111-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The most prevalent symptoms of post-COVID-19 condition are pulmonary dysfunction, fatigue and muscle weakness, anxiety, anosmia, dysgeusia, headaches, difficulty in concentrating, sexual dysfunction, and digestive disturbances. Hence, neurological dysfunction and autonomic impairments predominate in post-COVID-19 condition. Tachykinins including the most studied substance P are neuropeptides expressed throughout the nervous and immune systems, and contribute to many physiopathological processes in the nervous, immune, gastrointestinal, respiratory, urogenital, and dermal systems and participate in inflammation, nociception, and cell proliferation. Substance P is a key molecule in neuroimmune crosstalk; immune cells near the peripheral nerve endings can send signals to the brain with cytokines, which highlights the important role of tachykinins in neuroimmune communication. We reviewed the evidence that relates the symptoms of post-COVID-19 condition to the functions of tachykinins and propose a putative pathogenic mechanism. The antagonism of tachykinins receptors can be a potential treatment target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sok-Ja Janket
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Douglas D Fraser
- Paediatric Critical Care, Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alison E Baird
- Department of Neurology, SUNY Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Faleh Tamimi
- College of Dental Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dorsa Sohaei
- McGill University School of Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Harry A Conte
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Johnson Memorial Hospital, Stafford Springs, CT, USA
| | - Ioannis Prassas
- Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Peluso MJ, Ryder D, Flavell R, Wang Y, Levi J, LaFranchi BH, Deveau TM, Buck AM, Munter SE, Asare KA, Aslam M, Koch W, Szabo G, Hoh R, Deswal M, Rodriguez A, Buitrago M, Tai V, Shrestha U, Lu S, Goldberg SA, Dalhuisen T, Durstenfeld MS, Hsue PY, Kelly JD, Kumar N, Martin JN, Gambir A, Somsouk M, Seo Y, Deeks SG, Laszik ZG, VanBrocklin HF, Henrich TJ. Multimodal Molecular Imaging Reveals Tissue-Based T Cell Activation and Viral RNA Persistence for Up to 2 Years Following COVID-19. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.27.23293177. [PMID: 37577714 PMCID: PMC10418298 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.27.23293177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The etiologic mechanisms of post-acute medical morbidities and unexplained symptoms (Long COVID) following SARS-CoV-2 infection are incompletely understood. There is growing evidence that viral persistence and immune dysregulation may play a major role. We performed whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in a cohort of 24 participants at time points ranging from 27 to 910 days following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection using a novel radiopharmaceutical agent, [18F]F-AraG, a highly selective tracer that allows for anatomical quantitation of activated T lymphocytes. Tracer uptake in the post-acute COVID group, which included those with and without Long COVID symptoms, was significantly higher compared to pre-pandemic controls in many anatomical regions, including the brain stem, spinal cord, bone marrow, nasopharyngeal and hilar lymphoid tissue, cardiopulmonary tissues, and gut wall. Although T cell activation tended to be higher in participants imaged closer to the time of the acute illness, tracer uptake was increased in participants imaged up to 2.5 years following SARS-CoV-2 infection. We observed that T cell activation in spinal cord and gut wall was associated with the presence of Long COVID symptoms. In addition, tracer uptake in lung tissue was higher in those with persistent pulmonary symptoms. Notably, increased T cell activation in these tissues was also observed in many individuals without Long COVID. Given the high [18F]F-AraG uptake detected in the gut, we obtained colorectal tissue for in situ hybridization SARS-CoV-2 RNA and immunohistochemical studies in a subset of participants with Long COVID symptoms. We identified cellular SARS-CoV-2 RNA in rectosigmoid lamina propria tissue in all these participants, ranging from 158 to 676 days following initial COVID-19 illness, suggesting that tissue viral persistence could be associated with long-term immunological perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Peluso
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Dylan Ryder
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
| | - Robert Flavell
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | - Yingbing Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | | | - Brian H. LaFranchi
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
| | - Tyler-Marie Deveau
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
| | - Amanda M. Buck
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
| | - Sadie E. Munter
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
| | - Kofi A. Asare
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
| | - Maya Aslam
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | - Wally Koch
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | - Gyula Szabo
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Rebecca Hoh
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Monika Deswal
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Antonio Rodriguez
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Melissa Buitrago
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Viva Tai
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Uttam Shrestha
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | - Scott Lu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | - Sarah A. Goldberg
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | - Thomas Dalhuisen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | | | | | - J. Daniel Kelly
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | - Nitasha Kumar
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Jeffrey N. Martin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco
| | | | - Ma Somsouk
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Francisco
| | - Youngho Seo
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | | | - Henry F. VanBrocklin
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco
| | - Timothy J. Henrich
- Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California San Francisco
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Fox T, Hunt BJ, Ariens RA, Towers GJ, Lever R, Garner P, Kuehn R. Plasmapheresis to remove amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles for treating the post-COVID-19 condition. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023; 7:CD015775. [PMID: 37491597 PMCID: PMC10368521 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd015775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) consists of a wide array of symptoms including fatigue and impaired daily living. People seek a wide variety of approaches to help them recover. A new belief, arising from a few laboratory studies, is that 'microclots' cause the symptoms of PCC. This belief has been extended outside these studies, suggesting that to recover people need plasmapheresis (an expensive process where blood is filtered outside the body). We appraised the laboratory studies, and it was clear that the term 'microclots' is incorrect to describe the phenomenon being described. The particles are amyloid and include fibrin(ogen); amyloid is not a part of a thrombus which is a mix of fibrin mesh and platelets. Initial acute COVID-19 infection is associated with clotting abnormalities; this review concerns amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles in PCC only. We have reported here our appraisal of laboratory studies investigating the presence of amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles in PCC, and of evidence that plasmapheresis may be an effective therapy to remove amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles for treating PCC. OBJECTIVES Laboratory studies review To summarize and appraise the research reports on amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles related to PCC. Randomized controlled trials review To assess the evidence of the safety and efficacy of plasmapheresis to remove amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles in individuals with PCC from randomized controlled trials. SEARCH METHODS Laboratory studies review We searched for all relevant laboratory studies up to 27 October 2022 using a comprehensive search strategy which included the search terms 'COVID', 'amyloid', 'fibrin', 'fibrinogen'. Randomized controlled trials review We searched the following databases on 21 October 2022: Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register; MEDLINE (Ovid); Embase (Ovid); and BIOSIS Previews (Web of Science). We also searched the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov for trials in progress. SELECTION CRITERIA Laboratory studies review Laboratory studies that investigate the presence of amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles in plasma samples from patients with PCC were eligible. This included studies with or without controls. Randomized controlled trials review Studies were eligible if they were of randomized controlled design and investigated the effectiveness or safety of plasmapheresis for removing amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles for treating PCC. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors applied study inclusion criteria to identify eligible studies and extracted data. Laboratory studies review We assessed the risk of bias of included studies using pre-developed methods for laboratory studies. We planned to perform synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) as described in our protocol. Randomized controlled trials review We planned that if we identified any eligible studies, we would assess risk of bias and report results with 95% confidence intervals. The primary outcome was recovery, measured using the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale (absence of symptoms related to the illness, ability to do usual daily activities, and a return to a previous state of health and mind). MAIN RESULTS Laboratory studies review We identified five laboratory studies. Amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles were identified in participants across all studies, including those with PCC, healthy individuals, and those with diabetes. The results of three studies were based on visual images of amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles, which did not quantify the amount or size of the particles identified. Formal risk of bias assessment showed concerns in how the studies were conducted and reported. This means the results were insufficient to support the belief that amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles are associated with PCC, or to determine whether there is a difference in the amount or size of amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles in the plasma of people with PCC compared to healthy controls. Randomized controlled trials review We identified no trials meeting our inclusion criteria. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS In the absence of reliable research showing that amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles contribute to the pathophysiology of PCC, there is no rationale for plasmapheresis to remove amyloid fibrin(ogen) particles in PCC. Plasmapheresis for this indication should not be used outside the context of a well-conducted randomized controlled trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilly Fox
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Robert As Ariens
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Greg J Towers
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Paul Garner
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
- Extraordinary Professor in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Rebecca Kuehn
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
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Martino L, Morello R, De Rose C, Buonsenso D. Persistent respiratory symptoms associated with post-Covid condition (Long Covid) in children: a systematic review and analysis of current gaps and future perspectives. Expert Rev Respir Med 2023; 17:837-852. [PMID: 37844017 DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2023.2271836] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is increasing evidence that also children can develop Long Covid. However, there are no specific reviews providing a clear description of reported respiratory symptoms and potential diagnostics. AREAS COVERED We performed on PubMed a systematic search of studies conducted on children aged less than 18 years with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection complaining about persistent respiratory symptoms; the aim of our review is to characterize the incidence, pattern and duration of respiratory symptoms after the acute infection in pediatric population. EXPERT OPINION Children can develop persisting respiratory symptoms, as documented by several follow-up studies both including or not control groups of non-infected children. However, the methodological variabilities of the analyzed studies does not allow to provide firm conclusions about the rate, type and best diagnostics for children with persistent respiratory symptoms. Future studies should investigate on larger pediatric cohorts the role of noninvasive diagnostics and new biomarkers as well as investigating therapeutic options both during acute infection or when Long Covid has been diagnosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Martino
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Morello
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina De Rose
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Buonsenso
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Centro di Salute Globale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia
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Boccatonda A, Campello E, Simion C, Simioni P. Long-term hypercoagulability, endotheliopathy and inflammation following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Expert Rev Hematol 2023; 16:1035-1048. [PMID: 38018136 DOI: 10.1080/17474086.2023.2288154] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION both symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections - coined Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - have been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular events after recovery. AREAS COVERED our review aims to summarize the latest evidence on the increased thrombotic and cardiovascular risk in recovered COVID-19 patients and to examine the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the interplay among endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory response and coagulation in long-COVID. We performed a systematic search of studies on hypercoagulability, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation after SARS-CoV-2 infection. EXPERT OPINION endothelial dysfunction is a major pathophysiological mechanism responsible for most clinical manifestations in COVID-19. The pathological activation of endothelial cells by a virus infection results in a pro-adhesive and chemokine-secreting phenotype, which in turn promotes the recruitment of circulating leukocytes. Cardiovascular events after COVID-19 appear to be related to persistent immune dysregulation. Patients with long-lasting symptoms display higher amounts of proinflammatory molecules such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon γ and interleukins 2 and 6. Immune dysregulation can trigger the activation of the coagulation pathway. The formation of extensive microclots in vivo, both during acute COVID-19 and in long-COVID-19, appears to be a relevant mechanism responsible for persistent symptoms and cardiovascular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Boccatonda
- Internal Medicine, Bentivoglio Hospital, AUSL Bologna, Bentivoglio, Italy
| | - Elena Campello
- General Medicine and Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Simion
- General Medicine and Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Simioni
- General Medicine and Thrombotic and Hemorrhagic Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Ding Q, Zhao H. Long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human brain and memory. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:196. [PMID: 37380640 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01512-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have caused several waves of outbreaks. From the ancestral strain to Omicron variant, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved with the high transmissibility and increased immune escape against vaccines. Because of the multiple basic amino acids in the S1-S2 junction of spike protein, the widespread distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in human body and the high transmissibility, SARS-CoV-2 can infect multiple organs and has led to over 0.7 billion infectious cases. Studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause more than 10% patients with the Long-COVID syndrome, including pathological changes in brains. This review mainly provides the molecular foundations for understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 invading human brain and the molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 infection interfering with human brain and memory, which are associated with the immune dysfunction, syncytia-induced cell death, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, microclots and biopsychosocial aspects. We also discuss the strategies for reducing the Long-COVID syndrome. Further studies and analysis of shared researches will allow for further clarity regarding the long-term health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiulu Ding
- School of Finance and Business, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
- School of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - HanJun Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Binetti J, Real M, Renzulli M, Bertran L, Riesco D, Perpiñan C, Mohedano A, Segundo RS, Ortiz M, Porras JA, Pineda DR, Auguet T. Clinical and Biomarker Profile Responses to Rehabilitation Treatment in Patients with Long COVID Characterized by Chronic Fatigue. Viruses 2023; 15:1452. [PMID: 37515140 PMCID: PMC10384083 DOI: 10.3390/v15071452] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Long COVID (LC) syndrome is a complex multiorgan symptom that persists beyond >12 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most frequently associated symptom is fatigue. Physical activity and exercise are recommended, although specific studies are lacking. The objectives of the present work are to analyze the impact of a supervised exercise program on the clinical evolution of LC with fatigue patients and to identify whether certain circulating biomarkers could predict the response to rehabilitation. The rehabilitation treatment response was analyzed in 14 women diagnosed with LC and fatigue, based on the changes in the 6 min walk test and Borg/Fatigue Impact scales. Patients who showed improvement in the meters walked were considered "responders" to the therapy. A total of 65% of patients responded to the exercise program, with an improvement in the meters walked and in oxygen saturation, with stability in the percentage of meters walked. Participants with obesity and those double-vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 presented a lower degree of fatigue. LC patients presented a favorable response to a supervised exercise program. Differences in creatinine and protein levels were observed between rehabilitation therapy "responders" and "nonresponders". A good state of protein nutrition was related to a better rehabilitation response. The results are promising regarding possible predictive biomarkers of rehabilitation response, such as creatinine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Binetti
- GEMMAIR Research Group, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University (URV), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (J.B.); (L.B.); (D.R.); (J.A.P.)
- Internal Medicine Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Monica Real
- Internal Medicine Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Marcela Renzulli
- Rehabilitation Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (R.S.S.); (M.O.); (D.R.P.)
| | - Laia Bertran
- GEMMAIR Research Group, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University (URV), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (J.B.); (L.B.); (D.R.); (J.A.P.)
| | - David Riesco
- GEMMAIR Research Group, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University (URV), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (J.B.); (L.B.); (D.R.); (J.A.P.)
- Internal Medicine Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (A.M.)
| | | | - Alba Mohedano
- Internal Medicine Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Rosa San Segundo
- Rehabilitation Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (R.S.S.); (M.O.); (D.R.P.)
- Neurobehavioral and Health Research Group (NEUROLAB), Rovira i Virgili University (URV), 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Marta Ortiz
- Rehabilitation Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (R.S.S.); (M.O.); (D.R.P.)
| | - José Antonio Porras
- GEMMAIR Research Group, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University (URV), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (J.B.); (L.B.); (D.R.); (J.A.P.)
- Internal Medicine Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Daniela Rosanna Pineda
- Rehabilitation Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (R.S.S.); (M.O.); (D.R.P.)
| | - Teresa Auguet
- GEMMAIR Research Group, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Rovira i Virgili University (URV), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (J.B.); (L.B.); (D.R.); (J.A.P.)
- Internal Medicine Unit, Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (M.R.); (A.M.)
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Tsilingiris D, Vallianou NG, Karampela I, Christodoulatos GS, Papavasileiou G, Petropoulou D, Magkos F, Dalamaga M. Laboratory Findings and Biomarkers in Long COVID: What Do We Know So Far? Insights into Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Therapeutic Perspectives and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10458. [PMID: 37445634 PMCID: PMC10341908 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Long COVID (LC) encompasses a constellation of long-term symptoms experienced by at least 10% of people after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, and so far it has affected about 65 million people. The etiology of LC remains unclear; however, many pathophysiological pathways may be involved, including viral persistence; a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response; immune dysregulation and a defective immune response; the reactivation of latent viruses; autoimmunity; persistent endothelial dysfunction and coagulopathy; gut dysbiosis; hormonal and metabolic dysregulation; mitochondrial dysfunction; and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. There are no specific tests for the diagnosis of LC, and clinical features including laboratory findings and biomarkers may not specifically relate to LC. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to develop and validate biomarkers that can be employed for the prediction, diagnosis and prognosis of LC and its therapeutic response, although this effort may be hampered by challenges pertaining to the non-specific nature of the majority of clinical manifestations in the LC spectrum, small sample sizes of relevant studies and other methodological issues. Promising candidate biomarkers that are found in some patients are markers of systemic inflammation, including acute phase proteins, cytokines and chemokines; biomarkers reflecting SARS-CoV-2 persistence, the reactivation of herpesviruses and immune dysregulation; biomarkers of endotheliopathy, coagulation and fibrinolysis; microbiota alterations; diverse proteins and metabolites; hormonal and metabolic biomarkers; and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. At present, there are only two reviews summarizing relevant biomarkers; however, they do not cover the entire umbrella of current biomarkers, their link to etiopathogenetic mechanisms or the diagnostic work-up in a comprehensive manner. Herein, we aim to appraise and synopsize the available evidence on the typical laboratory manifestations and candidate biomarkers of LC, their classification based on pathogenetic mechanisms and the main LC symptomatology in the frame of the epidemiological and clinical aspects of the syndrome and furthermore assess limitations and challenges as well as potential implications in candidate therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Tsilingiris
- First Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Dragana, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece;
| | - Natalia G. Vallianou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelismos General Hospital, 45-47 Ipsilantou Street, 10676 Athens, Greece;
| | - Irene Karampela
- 2nd Department of Critical Care, Medical School, University of Athens, Attikon General University Hospital, 1 Rimini Street, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | | | - Georgios Papavasileiou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (G.P.); (D.P.)
| | - Dimitra Petropoulou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (G.P.); (D.P.)
| | - Faidon Magkos
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Sports, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Frederiksberg, Denmark;
| | - Maria Dalamaga
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece; (G.P.); (D.P.)
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Iosef C, Knauer MJ, Nicholson M, Van Nynatten LR, Cepinskas G, Draghici S, Han VKM, Fraser DD. Plasma proteome of Long-COVID patients indicates HIF-mediated vasculo-proliferative disease with impact on brain and heart function. J Transl Med 2023; 21:377. [PMID: 37301958 PMCID: PMC10257382 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04149-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Long-COVID occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and results in diverse, prolonged symptoms. The present study aimed to unveil potential mechanisms, and to inform prognosis and treatment. METHODS Plasma proteome from Long-COVID outpatients was analyzed in comparison to matched acutely ill COVID-19 (mild and severe) inpatients and healthy control subjects. The expression of 3072 protein biomarkers was determined with proximity extension assays and then deconvoluted with multiple bioinformatics tools into both cell types and signaling mechanisms, as well as organ specificity. RESULTS Compared to age- and sex-matched acutely ill COVID-19 inpatients and healthy control subjects, Long-COVID outpatients showed natural killer cell redistribution with a dominant resting phenotype, as opposed to active, and neutrophils that formed extracellular traps. This potential resetting of cell phenotypes was reflected in prospective vascular events mediated by both angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1) and vascular-endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA). Several markers (ANGPT1, VEGFA, CCR7, CD56, citrullinated histone 3, elastase) were validated by serological methods in additional patient cohorts. Signaling of transforming growth factor-β1 with probable connections to elevated EP/p300 suggested vascular inflammation and tumor necrosis factor-α driven pathways. In addition, a vascular proliferative state associated with hypoxia inducible factor 1 pathway suggested progression from acute COVID-19 to Long-COVID. The vasculo-proliferative process predicted in Long-COVID might contribute to changes in the organ-specific proteome reflective of neurologic and cardiometabolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our findings point to a vasculo-proliferative process in Long-COVID that is likely initiated either prior hypoxia (localized or systemic) and/or stimulatory factors (i.e., cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, angiotensin, etc). Analyses of the plasma proteome, used as a surrogate for cellular signaling, unveiled potential organ-specific prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Iosef
- Children's Health Research Institute, Victoria Research Laboratories, 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada.
| | - Michael J Knauer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Michael Nicholson
- Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | | | - Gediminas Cepinskas
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2R5, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Sorin Draghici
- Department of Computer Science College of Engineering, Wayne State University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48202, USA
- Advaita Bioinformatics, Ann Arbor, 48105-2552, USA
- National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, 22314, USA
| | - Victor K M Han
- Children's Health Research Institute, Victoria Research Laboratories, 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Douglas D Fraser
- Children's Health Research Institute, Victoria Research Laboratories, 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada.
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2R5, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
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Komaroff AL, Lipkin WI. ME/CFS and Long COVID share similar symptoms and biological abnormalities: road map to the literature. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1187163. [PMID: 37342500 PMCID: PMC10278546 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1187163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Some patients remain unwell for months after "recovering" from acute COVID-19. They develop persistent fatigue, cognitive problems, headaches, disrupted sleep, myalgias and arthralgias, post-exertional malaise, orthostatic intolerance and other symptoms that greatly interfere with their ability to function and that can leave some people housebound and disabled. The illness (Long COVID) is similar to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) as well as to persisting illnesses that can follow a wide variety of other infectious agents and following major traumatic injury. Together, these illnesses are projected to cost the U.S. trillions of dollars. In this review, we first compare the symptoms of ME/CFS and Long COVID, noting the considerable similarities and the few differences. We then compare in extensive detail the underlying pathophysiology of these two conditions, focusing on abnormalities of the central and autonomic nervous system, lungs, heart, vasculature, immune system, gut microbiome, energy metabolism and redox balance. This comparison highlights how strong the evidence is for each abnormality, in each illness, and helps to set priorities for future investigation. The review provides a current road map to the extensive literature on the underlying biology of both illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L. Komaroff
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - W. Ian Lipkin
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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Singh TK, Zidar DA, McCrae K, Highland KB, Englund K, Cameron SJ, Chung MK. A Post-Pandemic Enigma: The Cardiovascular Impact of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2. Circ Res 2023; 132:1358-1373. [PMID: 37167358 PMCID: PMC10171306 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.122.322228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has become the first modern-day pandemic of historic proportion, affecting >600 million individuals worldwide and causing >6.5 million deaths. While acute infection has had devastating consequences, postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection appears to be a pandemic of its own, impacting up to one-third of survivors and often causing symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular phenomena. This review will highlight the suspected pathophysiology of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, its influence on the cardiovascular system, and potential treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamanna K Singh
- Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (TKS, MC, SJC)
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, OH (T.K.S., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
| | - David A Zidar
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Louise Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland, OH (D.A.Z.)
| | - Keith McCrae
- Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (KM)
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, OH (T.K.S., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
| | - Kristin B Highland
- Pulmonary Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (KBH)
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, OH (T.K.S., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
| | - Kristin Englund
- Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (KE)
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, OH (T.K.S., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
| | - Scott J Cameron
- Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (TKS, MC, SJC)
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, OH (T.K.S., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
| | - Mina K Chung
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, OH (T.K.S., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (T.K.S., D.A.Z., K.M., K.B.H., K.E., S.J.C., M.K.C.)
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Scholkmann F, May CA. COVID-19, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS, "long COVID") and post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PCVS, "post-COVIDvac-syndrome"): Similarities and differences. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 246:154497. [PMID: 37192595 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide there have been over 760 million confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, and over 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered as of April 2023, according to the World Health Organization. An infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can lead to an acute disease, i.e. COVID-19, but also to a post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS, "long COVID"). Currently, the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are increasingly being noted and studied. Here, we summarise the currently available indications and discuss our conclusions that (i) these side effects have specific similarities and differences to acute COVID-19 and PACS, that (ii) a new term should be used to refer to these side effects (post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome, PCVS, colloquially "post-COVIDvac-syndrome"), and that (iii) there is a need to distinguish between acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (ACVS) and post-acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS) - in analogy to acute COVID-19 and PACS ("long COVID"). Moreover, we address mixed forms of disease caused by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination. We explain why it is important for medical diagnosis, care and research to use the new terms (PCVS, ACVS and PACVS) in order to avoid confusion and misinterpretation of the underlying causes of disease and to enable optimal medical therapy. We do not recommend to use the term "Post-Vac-Syndrome" as it is imprecise. The article also serves to address the current problem of "medical gaslighting" in relation to PACS and PCVS by raising awareness among the medical professionals and supplying appropriate terminology for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Scholkmann
- University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Christian-Albrecht May
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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Pizzuto DA, Buonsenso D, Morello R, De Rose C, Valentini P, Fragano A, Baldi F, Di Giuda D. Lung perfusion assessment in children with long-COVID: A pilot study. Pediatr Pulmonol 2023. [PMID: 37097045 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.26432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that chronic endotheliopathy can play a role in patients with Post-Covid Condition (PCC, or Long Covid) by affecting peripheral vascularization. This pilot study aimed at assessing lung perfusion in children with Long-COVID with 99m Tc-MAA SPECT/CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS lung 99m Tc-MAA SPECT/CT was performed in children with Long-COVID and a pathological cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Intravenous injections were performed on patients in the supine position immediately before the planar scan according to the EANM guidelines for lung scintigraphy in children, followed by lung SPECT/CT acquisition. Reconstructed studies were visually analyzed. RESULTS Clinical and biochemical data were collected during acute infection and follow-up in 14 children (6 females, mean age: 12.6 years) fulfilling Long-COVID diagnostic criteria and complaining of chronic fatigue and postexertional malaise after mild efforts, documented by CPET. Imaging results were compared with clinical scenarios during acute infection and follow-up. Six out of 14 (42.8%) children showed perfusion defects on 99m Tc-MAA SPECT/CT scan, without morphological alterations on coregistered CT. CONCLUSIONS This pilot investigation confirmed previous data suggesting that a small subgroup of children can develop lung perfusion defects after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Larger cohort studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results, providing also a better understanding of which children may deserve this test and how to manage those with lung perfusion defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Antonio Pizzuto
- Department of Radiology, Radiotherapy and Hematology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Buonsenso
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- GlobalHealth Research Institute, Istituto di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Morello
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina De Rose
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Piero Valentini
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - A Fragano
- Department of Radiology, Radiotherapy and Hematology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana Baldi
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Di Giuda
- Department of Radiology, Radiotherapy and Hematology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- University Department of Radiological Sciences and Hematology, Section of Nuclear Medicine, Uniiversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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