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Lempesis IG, Georgakopoulou VE, Reiter RJ, Spandidos DA. A mid‑pandemic night's dream: Melatonin, from harbinger of anti‑inflammation to mitochondrial savior in acute and long COVID‑19 (Review). Int J Mol Med 2024; 53:28. [PMID: 38299237 PMCID: PMC10852014 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2024.5352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), a systemic illness caused by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), has triggered a worldwide pandemic with symptoms ranging from asymptomatic to chronic, affecting practically every organ. Melatonin, an ancient antioxidant found in all living organisms, has been suggested as a safe and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection due to its good safety characteristics and broad‑spectrum antiviral medication properties. Melatonin is essential in various metabolic pathways and governs physiological processes, such as the sleep‑wake cycle and circadian rhythms. It exhibits oncostatic, anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant and anti‑aging properties, exhibiting promise for use in the treatment of numerous disorders, including COVID‑19. The preventive and therapeutic effects of melatonin have been widely explored in a number of conditions and have been well‑established in experimental ischemia/reperfusion investigations, particularly in coronary heart disease and stroke. Clinical research evaluating the use of melatonin in COVID‑19 has shown various improved outcomes, including reduced hospitalization durations; however, the trials are small. Melatonin can alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction in COVID‑19, improve immune cell function and provide antioxidant properties. However, its therapeutic potential remains underexplored due to funding limitations and thus further investigations are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis G. Lempesis
- Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Epameinondas Georgakopoulou
- Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Russel J. Reiter
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Kokkoris S, Kanavou A, Katsaros D, Karageorgiou S, Kremmydas P, Gkoufa A, Ntaidou T, Giannopoulos C, Kardamitsi MA, Dimopoulou G, Theodorou E, Georgakopoulou VE, Spandidos DA, Orfanos S, Kotanidou A, Routsi C. Temporal trends in laboratory parameters in survivors and non‑survivors of critical COVID‑19 illness and the effect of dexamethasone treatment. Biomed Rep 2024; 20:12. [PMID: 38124763 PMCID: PMC10731161 DOI: 10.3892/br.2023.1700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced changes in laboratory parameters in patients upon admission have been well-documented, information on their temporal changes is limited. The present study describes the laboratory trends and the effect of dexamethasone treatment on these parameters, in patients with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU). Routine laboratory parameters, namely white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet (PLT) counts, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin concentrations, were recorded upon admission to the ICU and, thereafter, on days 3, 5, 10, 15 and 21; these values were compared between survivors and non-survivors, as well as between those who were treated with dexamethasone and those who were not. Among the 733 patients in the ICU, (mean age, 65±13 years; 68% males; ICU mortality rate 45%; 76% of patients treated with dexamethasone), the WBC and neutrophil counts were persistently high in all patients, without significant differences over the first 15 days. Initially, low lymphocyte counts exhibited increasing trends, but remained higher in survivors compared to non-survivors (P=0.01). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was persistently elevated in all patients, although it was significantly higher in non-survivors compared to survivors (P<0.001). The PLT count was initially increased in all patients, although it was significantly decreased in non-survivors over time. The fibrinogen and LDH values remained similarly elevated in all patients. However, the increased levels of CRP, which did not differ between patients upon admission, further increased in non-survivors compared to survivors after day 10 (P=0.001). Declining trends in albumin levels over time, overall, with a significant decrease in non-survivors compared to survivors, were observed. Dexamethasone treatment significantly affected the temporal progression of fibrinogen and CRP in survivors and that of NLR in non-survivors. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that patients in the ICU with COVID-19 present persistently abnormal laboratory findings and significant differences in laboratory trends of NLR, CRP, PLT and albumin, but not in WBC and neutrophil count, and fibrinogen and LDH levels, between survivors and non-survivors. The temporal progression of fibrinogen, CRP and NLR is affected by dexamethasone treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stelios Kokkoris
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Angeliki Kanavou
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Katsaros
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Stavros Karageorgiou
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Kremmydas
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Gkoufa
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Theodora Ntaidou
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Charalampos Giannopoulos
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Marina-Areti Kardamitsi
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Dimopoulou
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelia Theodorou
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Stylianos Orfanos
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Kotanidou
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Routsi
- First Department of Intensive Care, Evangelismos Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10676 Athens, Greece
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Lempesis IG, Georgakopoulou VE, Papalexis P, Chrousos GP, Spandidos DA. Role of stress in the pathogenesis of cancer (Review). Int J Oncol 2023; 63:124. [PMID: 37711028 PMCID: PMC10552722 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5572] [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: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is a state of disrupted homeostasis, triggered by intrinsic or extrinsic factors, the stressors, which are counteracted by various physiological and behavioural adaptive responses. Stress has been linked to cancer development and incidence for decades; however, epidemiological studies and clinical trials have yielded contradictory results. The present review discusses the effects of stress on cancer development and the various underlying mechanisms. Animal studies have revealed a clear link between stress and cancer progression, revealing molecular, cellular and endocrine processes that are implicated in these effects. Thus, stress hormones, their receptor systems and their intracellular molecular pathways mediate the effects of stress on cancer initiation, progression and the development of metastases. The mechanisms linking stress and cancer progression can either be indirect, mediated by changes in the cancer microenvironment or immune system dysregulation, or direct, through the binding of neuroendocrine stress‑related signalling molecules to cancer cell receptors. Stress affects numerous anti‑ and pro‑cancer immune system components, including host resistance to metastasis, tumour retention and/or immune suppression. Chronic psychological stress through the elevation of catecholamine levels may increase cancer cell death resistance. On the whole, stress is linked to cancer development and incidence, with psychological stressors playing a crucial role. Animal studies have revealed a better link than human ones, with stress‑related hormones influencing tumour development, migration, invasion and cell proliferation. Randomized controlled trials are required to further evaluate the long‑term cancer outcomes of stress and its management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis G. Lempesis
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Epameinondas Georgakopoulou
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Papalexis
- Unit of Endocrinology, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios P. Chrousos
- Clinical, Translational and Experimental Surgery Research Centre, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Lempesis IG, Georgakopoulou VE. Implications of obesity and adiposopathy on respiratory infections; focus on emerging challenges. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:2925-2933. [PMID: 37215426 PMCID: PMC10198078 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i13.2925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is characterized by excessive adipose tissue accumulation, which impacts physiological, metabolic, and immune functions. Several respiratory infections, including bacterial pneumonia, influenza, and coronavirus disease 2019, appear to be linked to unfavorable results in individuals with obesity. These may be attributed to the direct mechanical/physiological effects of excess body fat on the lungs’ function. Notably, adipose tissue dysfunction is associated with a low-grade chronic inflammatory status and hyperleptinemia, among other characteristics. These have all been linked to immune system dysfunction and weakened immune responses to these infections. A better understanding and clinical awareness of these risk factors are necessary for better disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis G Lempesis
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, Athens 11527, Greece
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Exploring the Role of ACE2 as a Connecting Link between COVID-19 and Parkinson's Disease. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13020536. [PMID: 36836893 PMCID: PMC9961012 DOI: 10.3390/life13020536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is frequently accompanied by neurological manifestations such as headache, delirium, and epileptic seizures, whereas ageusia and anosmia may appear before respiratory symptoms. Among the various neurological COVID-19-related comorbidities, Parkinson's disease (PD) has gained increasing attention. Some cases of PD disease have been linked to COVID-19, and both motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients frequently worsen following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although it is still unclear whether PD increases the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection or whether COVID-19 increases the risk of or unmasks future cases of PD, emerging evidence sheds more light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between these two diseases. Among them, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a significant component of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), seems to play a pivotal role. ACE2 is required for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 to the human host cells, and ACE2 dysregulation is implicated in the severity of COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ACE2 imbalance is implicated in core shared pathophysiological mechanisms between PD and COVID-19, including aberrant inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. ACE2 may also be implicated in alpha-synuclein-induced dopaminergic degeneration, gut-brain axis dysregulation, blood-brain axis disruption, autonomic dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and hyposmia, which are key features of PD.
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Lempesis IG, Karlafti E, Papalexis P, Fotakopoulos G, Tarantinos K, Lekakis V, Papadakos SP, Cholongitas E, Georgakopoulou VE. COVID-19 and liver injury in individuals with obesity. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:908-916. [PMID: 36844135 PMCID: PMC9950870 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i6.908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that manifests as a variety of clinical manifestations, including liver damage commonly detected by a hepatocellular pattern from liver function tests. Liver injury is associated with a worse prognosis overall. Conditions associated with the severity of the disease include obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities, which are also associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The presence of NAFLD, similarly to obesity, is associated with an unfavourable impact on the coronavirus disease 2019 outcome. Individuals with these conditions could present with liver damage and elevated liver function tests due to direct viral cytotoxicity, systemic inflammation, ischemic or hypoxic liver damage or drug side effects. However, liver damage in the setting of NAFLD could also be attributed to a pre-existing chronic low-grade inflammation associated with surplus and dysfunctional adipose tissue in these individuals. Here we investigate the hypothesis that a pre-existing inflammatory status is exacerbated after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, which embodies a second hit to the underestimated liver damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis G Lempesis
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht 616 6200, Netherlands
| | - Eleni Karlafti
- Department of Emergency, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 546 21, Greece
| | - Petros Papalexis
- Unit of Endocrinology, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens 12243, Greece
| | - George Fotakopoulos
- Department of Neurosurgery, General University Hospital of Larisa, Larisa 41221, Greece
| | | | - Vasileios Lekakis
- Department of Gastroenterology, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Stavros P Papadakos
- Department of Gastroenterology, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Evangelos Cholongitas
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
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Mavragani CP, Skarlis C, Kostopoulos IV, Maratou E, Moutsatsou P, Terpos E, Tsitsilonis OE, Dimopoulos MA, Sfikakis PP. Distinct type I interferon responses between younger women and older men contribute to the variability of COVID-19 outcomes: Hypothesis generating insights from COVID-19 convalescent individuals. Cytokine 2022; 157:155964. [PMID: 35868117 PMCID: PMC9289092 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2022.155964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background/Objective Older age and male sex have been consistently found to be associated with dismal outcomes among COVID-19 infected patients. In contrast, premenopausal females present the lowest mortality among adults infected by SARS-CoV-2. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether peripheral blood type I interferon (IFN) signature and interleukin (IL)-6 serum levels -previously shown to contribute to COVID-19-related outcomes in hospitalized patients- is shaped by demographic contributors among COVID-19 convalescent individuals. Patients and Methods Type I IFN-inducible genes in peripheral blood, as well as serum IL-6 levels were quantified in 61 COVID-19 convalescent healthy individuals (34 females, 27 males; age range 18–70 years, mean 35.7 ± 15.9 years) who recovered from COVID-19 without requiring hospitalization within a median of 3 months prior to inclusion in the present study. Among those, 17 were older than 50 years (11 males, 6 females) and 44 equal to or less than 50 years (16 males, 28 females). Expression analysis of type I IFN-inducible genes (MX-1, IFIT-1, IFI44) was performed by real time PCR and a type I IFN score, reflecting type I IFN peripheral activity, was calculated. IL-6 and C-reactive protein levels were determined by a commercially available ELISA. Results COVID-19 convalescent individuals older than 50 years exhibited significantly decreased peripheral blood type I IFN scores along with significantly increased IL-6 serum levels compared to their younger counterparts less than 50 years old (5.4 ± 4.3 vs 16.8 ± 24.7, p = 0.02 and 10.6 ± 16.9 vs 2.9 ± 8.0 ng/L, p = 0.03, respectively). Following sex stratification, peripheral blood type I IFN score was found to be significantly higher in younger females compared to both younger and older males (22.9 ± 29.2 vs 6.3 ± 4.6 vs 4.5 ± 3.7, p = 0.01 and p = 0.002, respectively). Regarding IL-6, an opposite pattern was observed, with the highest levels being detected among older males and the lowest levels among younger females (11.6 ± 18.9 vs 2.5 ± 7.8 ng/L, p = 0.03). Conclusion Constitutive higher type I IFN responses and dampened IL-6 production observed in younger women of premenopausal age, along with lower type I IFN responses and increased IL-6 levels in older males, could account for the discrete clinical outcomes seen in the two population groups, as consistently revealed in COVID-19 epidemiological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clio P Mavragani
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), M. Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece; Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital Attikon, NKUA, 12462 Haidari, Greece; Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, NKUA, Greece.
| | - Charalampos Skarlis
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), M. Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Eirini Maratou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, NKUA, 12462 Haidari, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Moutsatsou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, NKUA, 12462 Haidari, Greece
| | - Evangelos Terpos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Alexandra General Hospital, NKUA, 11528 Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Petros P Sfikakis
- Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, NKUA, Greece; First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, NKUA, 15772 Athens, Greece
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Georgakopoulou VE, Makrodimitri S, Triantafyllou M, Samara S, Voutsinas PM, Anastasopoulou A, Papageorgiou CV, Spandidos DA, Gkoufa A, Papalexis P, Xenou E, Chelidonis G, Sklapani P, Trakas N, Sipsas NV. Immature granulocytes: Innovative biomarker for SARS‑CoV‑2 infection. Mol Med Rep 2022; 26:217. [PMID: 35551416 PMCID: PMC9175277 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2022.12733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Immature granulocytes (IGs) include metamyelocytes, myelocytes and promyelocytes, and are the precursors of neutrophils. Increased IG counts found in peripheral blood indicate an enhanced bone marrow activity. In addition, IGs have been evaluated in numerous clinical conditions, such as severe acute pancreatitis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome and infectious complications following open‑heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Neutrophils are considered to play a crucial role in the host defense during bacterial and fungal infections, and are involved in the antiviral immune response. Numerous studies have reported the role of neutrophils in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) infection, concluding that the percentage of neutrophils may be a predictor of the severity of COVID‑19 infection. There has been limited research regarding the role of neutrophil precursors in viral infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The present thus aimed to evaluate the role of the IG count in patients hospitalized due to COVID‑19 infection. The patients were predominantly infected with the alpha variant and were all unvaccinated. The IG count was measured and was found to be associated with disease severity, with patient outcomes, with the duration of hospitalization and with the development of complications. The IG count was a significantly associated with the severity of COVID‑19 infection, with greater IG count values being detected in severe and critical cases. In addition, greater IG count values were associated with a longer duration of hospitalization. Furthermore, the IG count was found to be an independent prognostic biomarker of intubation and mortality in patients with COVID‑19, according to multivariate logistic regression analysis, including age, the male sex and the presence of comorbidities as confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sotiria Makrodimitri
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Triantafyllou
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Stamatia Samara
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Pantazis M. Voutsinas
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Amalia Anastasopoulou
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Gkoufa
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Petros Papalexis
- Unit of Endocrinology, First Department of Propedeutic and Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
| | - Euthalia Xenou
- Laboratory of Hematology, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Pagona Sklapani
- Department of Cytology, Mitera Hospital, 15123 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Trakas
- Department of Biochemistry, Sismanogleio Hospital, 15126 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos V. Sipsas
- Department of Infectious Diseases-COVID-19 Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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