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Cernera G, Gelzo M, De Placido P, Pietroluongo E, Raia M, Scalia G, Tortora M, Formisano P, Palmieri G, Giuliano M, Castaldo G. Serum biomarkers of inflammation and vascular damage upon SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine in patients with thymic epithelial tumors. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:1198-1205. [PMID: 38232092 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-1283] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Thymic epithelial tumors (TET) patients are at high risk of autoimmune and hypoimmune complications. Limited evidence is available on the potential risk of immune-related and inflammatory reactions induced by SARS-Cov-2 vaccine in this patient population. METHODS In order to identify subjects at higher risk for vaccine complications, we prospectively evaluated a panel of serum biomarkers related to inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1β, -6, -10, -12, and -17A, IFN-α, β and γ, MPO, MMP-9), and vascular damage (E- and P-selectin, VEGF-A, P-ANCA and MCP-1) in 44 TET patients and in 30 healthy controls along the whole SARS-Cov-2 vaccine cycle. RESULTS About 50 % of subjects (either TET and controls) showed an increase of serum biochemical markers of inflammation and endothelial damage with a large heterogeneity of values. Such increase appeared early, after the first dose in control subjects and later, after the second dose in TET patients (in which we observed mainly an increase of inflammatory biomarkers). The values normalized after about 3 months and did not increase after the third, booster dose. No autoimmune or vascular complications were observed in the study subjects and no difference was observed in terms of vaccine response among subjects showing serum biomarkers increase and those who experienced no changes. CONCLUSIONS Our data highlight the relevance of Sars-Cov-2 vaccine in TET patients, as it resulted safe and prevented severe COVID-19. However, further studies are awaited to explore the mechanisms and the potential consequences of the observed increase of serum inflammatory and vascular damage biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Cernera
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Gelzo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro De Placido
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Erica Pietroluongo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Marianna Tortora
- Rare Tumors Coordinating Center of Campania Region (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Formisano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Mario Giuliano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Rare Tumors Coordinating Center of Campania Region (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
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2
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Levinson T, Wasserman A, Shenhar-Tsarfaty S, Halutz O, Shapira I, Zeltser D, Rogowski O, Berliner S, Ziv-Baran T. Comparative analysis of CRP as a biomarker of the inflammatory response intensity among common viral infections affecting the lungs: COVID-19 versus influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:5307-5313. [PMID: 37640989 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01176-0] [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: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a useful inflammatory biomarker for patients admitted with an infection. This study aimed to compare CRP level as an indicator of inflammation severity between SARS-CoV-2 and common respiratory viral infections. A cross-sectional study of all adult patients hospitalized in the internal medicine department, geriatric department, or internal intensive care unit between 02/2012 and 06/2021 with laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infection was performed. SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were studied. Patients with laboratory-confirmed concurrent viral or bacterial infections were excluded. Patients with malignancy were also excluded. Age, gender, comorbidities, and CRP level upon admission were compared between groups. Univariate and multivariable analyses were applied. Among 1124 patients, 18.2% had SARS‑CoV‑2, 48.3% influenza A, 18.9% RSV, and 14.6% influenza B. SARS‑CoV‑2 patients were significantly younger (median 69.4 vs. ≥ 76 years) and had lower Charlson score (median 3 vs. ≥ 4 in other groups) compared to patients with other viral pathogens. After adjustment for patients' age, gender and comorbidities, SARS‑CoV‑2 patients had a higher probability (OR = 1.84-2.02, p < 0.01) of having CRP values in the upper quartile (> 117 mg/L) compared to all other viral pathogens while between all others there was no significant difference. To conclude, a higher CRP level upon admission is approximately twice more common among SARS-CoV-2 patients compared to other widespread respiratory viruses which may demonstrate the higher intensity of inflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Levinson
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Asaf Wasserman
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shani Shenhar-Tsarfaty
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ora Halutz
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Itzhak Shapira
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - David Zeltser
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ori Rogowski
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shlomo Berliner
- Department of Internal Medicine "C" and "E", Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, 6423906, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tomer Ziv-Baran
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, P.O.B. 39040, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Rivera-Cavazos A, Luviano-García JA, Garza-Silva A, Morales-Rodríguez DP, Kuri-Ayache M, Sanz-Sánchez MÁ, Santos-Macías JE, Romero-Ibarguengoitia ME, González-Cantú A. Analyzing the Interplay between COVID-19 Viral Load, Inflammatory Markers, and Lymphocyte Subpopulations on the Development of Long COVID. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2241. [PMID: 37764085 PMCID: PMC10536598 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092241] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The global impact of the SARS-CoV-2 infection has been substantial, affecting millions of people. Long COVID, characterized by persistent or recurrent symptoms after acute infection, has been reported in over 40% of patients. Risk factors include age and female gender, and various mechanisms, including chronic inflammation and viral persistence, have been implicated in long COVID's pathogenesis. However, there are scarce studies in which multiple inflammatory markers and viral load are analyzed simultaneously in acute infection to determine how they predict for long COVID at long-term follow-up. This study explores the association between long COVID and inflammatory markers, viral load, and lymphocyte subpopulation during acute infection in hospitalized patients to better understand the risk factors of this disease. This longitudinal retrospective study was conducted in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in northern Mexico. Inflammatory parameters, viral load, and lymphocyte subpopulation during the acute infection phase were analyzed, and long COVID symptoms were followed up depending on severity and persistence (weekly or monthly) and assessed 1.5 years after the acute infection. This study analyzed 79 patients, among them, 41.8% presented long COVID symptoms, with fatigue being the most common (45.5%). Patients with long COVID had higher lymphocyte levels during hospitalization, and NK cell subpopulation levels were also associated with long COVID. ICU admission during acute COVID-19 was also linked to the development of long COVID symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rivera-Cavazos
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Research Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico;
| | - José Antonio Luviano-García
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Arnulfo Garza-Silva
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Research Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico;
| | - Devany Paola Morales-Rodríguez
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Research Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico;
| | - Mauricio Kuri-Ayache
- Cardiology Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Miguel Ángel Sanz-Sánchez
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Research Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico;
| | - Juan Enrique Santos-Macías
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Maria Elena Romero-Ibarguengoitia
- Vicerrectoría de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García 66238, Nuevo León, Mexico; (A.R.-C.)
- Research Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico;
| | - Arnulfo González-Cantú
- Research Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico;
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Clínica Nova de Monterrey, San Nicolás de los Garza 66450, Nuevo León, Mexico
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Cernera G, Gelzo M, De Placido P, Ottaviano M, Pietroluongo E, Raia M, Scalia G, Tortora M, Castaldo G, Formisano P, Palmieri G, Giuliano M. Immunocytometric analysis of patients with thymic epithelial tumors revealed that COVID-19 vaccine booster strongly enhanced the immune response. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1233056. [PMID: 37705978 PMCID: PMC10495582 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1233056] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare malignancies with heterogeneous clinical manifestations. The high frequency of autoimmune paraneoplastic disorders observed in such patients requires caution when using COVID-19 vaccines. Furthermore, TETs are often associated with severe immunodeficiency, making it difficult to predict vaccine immunization. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate immune response to COVID-19 vaccine in patients with TETs. Methods We conducted a prospective study enrolling patients who underwent the SARS-Cov-2 mRNA full vaccine cycle (two doses plus a booster after 6 months of BNT162b2). All patients were enrolled before receiving 1st vaccine dose and were followed over the vaccination cycle for up to 6 months after the booster dose to i) assess humoral and cellular responses, ii) define biomarkers predictive of effective immunization, and iii) evaluate the safety of the vaccine. Results At the end of the full vaccine cycle, 27 (61.4%) patients developed humoral and 38 (86.4%) cellular responses (IFN γ release by stimulated cells) and showed an increase in activated TH1 and TH17 cells, particularly significant after the booster dose. The number of B and T lymphocytes at baseline was predictive of humoral and cellular responses, respectively. Patients with no evidence of tumor lesions had a higher probability of achieving a humoral response than those with evidence of the disease. Furthermore, the percentage of patients with immune-related disorders (75%), particularly Good's syndrome (47.7%) and myasthenia gravis (29.5%), did not change over the entire vaccine cycle. Overall, 19 of the 44 enrolled patients (43.2%) had COVID-19 during the observation period; none required hospitalization or oxygen support, and no fatalities were observed. Conclusion SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine determines the immune responses in patients with TET, particularly after the booster dose, and in patients with no evidence of tumor lesions. Preliminary analysis of B and T lymphocytes may help identify patients who have a lower probability of achieving effective humoral and cellular responses and thus may need passive immunization. The vaccine prevented severe COVID-19 infection and is safe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Cernera
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Gelzo
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro De Placido
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Margaret Ottaviano
- Dipartimento di Melanoma, Immunoterapia Oncologica e Terapie Innovative, IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples, Italy
- Centro Regionale di Coordinamento Tumori Rari Regione Campania (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Erica Pietroluongo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Marianna Tortora
- Centro Regionale di Coordinamento Tumori Rari Regione Campania (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Formisano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovannella Palmieri
- Centro Regionale di Coordinamento Tumori Rari Regione Campania (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Giuliano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Centro Regionale di Coordinamento Tumori Rari Regione Campania (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
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Cortese P, Amato F, Davino A, De Franchis R, Esposito S, Zollo I, Di Domenico M, Solito E, Zarrilli F, Gentile L, Cernera G, Castaldo G. The Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in a Cohort of Family Pediatricians from Southern Italy. Cells 2023; 12:1447. [PMID: 37296568 PMCID: PMC10252549 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In Italy, from January 2021, the Ministry of Health indicated a vaccination plan against COVID for frail patients and physicians based on a three-dose scheme. However, conflicting results have been reported on which biomarkers permit immunization assessment. We used several laboratory approaches (i.e., antibodies serum levels, flow cytometry analysis, and cytokines release by stimulated cells) to investigate the immune response in a cohort of 53 family pediatricians (FPs) at different times after the vaccine. We observed that the BNT162b2-mRNA vaccine induced a significant increase of specific antibodies after the third (booster) dose; however, the antibody titer was not predictive of the risk of developing the infection in the six months following the booster dose. The antigen stimulation of PBMC cells from subjects vaccinated with the third booster jab induced the increase of the activated T cells (i.e., CD4+ CD154+); the frequency of CD4+ CD154+ TNF-α+ cells, as well as the TNF-α secretion, was not modified, while we observed a trend of increase of IFN-γ secretion. Interestingly, the level of CD8+ IFN-γ+ (independently from antibody titer) was significantly increased after the third dose and predicts the risk of developing the infection in the six months following the booster jab. Such results may impact also other virus vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cortese
- Federazione Italiana Medici Pediatri (FIMP), 80142 Naples, Italy; (P.C.); (A.D.); (R.D.F.)
| | - Felice Amato
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.A.); (I.Z.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
| | - Antonio Davino
- Federazione Italiana Medici Pediatri (FIMP), 80142 Naples, Italy; (P.C.); (A.D.); (R.D.F.)
| | - Raffaella De Franchis
- Federazione Italiana Medici Pediatri (FIMP), 80142 Naples, Italy; (P.C.); (A.D.); (R.D.F.)
| | - Speranza Esposito
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
| | - Immacolata Zollo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.A.); (I.Z.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
| | - Marina Di Domenico
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Egle Solito
- Centre for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary Univesity, London E1 4NS, UK;
| | - Federica Zarrilli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.A.); (I.Z.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
| | - Laura Gentile
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
| | - Gustavo Cernera
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.A.); (I.Z.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.A.); (I.Z.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Scarl, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.E.); (L.G.)
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Pappas AG, Chaliasou AL, Panagopoulos A, Dede K, Daskalopoulou S, Moniem E, Polydora E, Grigoriou E, Psarra K, Tsirogianni A, Kalomenidis I. Kinetics of Immune Subsets in COVID-19 Patients Treated with Corticosteroids. Viruses 2022; 15:51. [PMID: 36680091 PMCID: PMC9865280 DOI: 10.3390/v15010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Changes in anti-SARS-CoV-2 defense immune subsets in patients treated with dexamethasone (DXM) for severe COVID-19 and their relation to disease outcomes are poorly understood. METHODS Blood-lymphocyte subsets of 110 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were prospectively examined. A first sample was taken at enrollment and a second one 7-10 days later. Total B-, T-lymphocytes, CD4+, CD8+, T-regulatory (Treg), Natural-Killer (NK) and NK T-cells were counted using flow cytometry. RESULTS At enrollment, patients with respiratory failure, characterized by DXM failure (intubation/death) or DXM success (hospital discharge) exhibited significantly fewer CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells and B-lymphocytes compared to the control group (no respiratory failure/no DXM). At the time of treatment completion, the DXM-failure group exhibited significantly fewer CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells, memory CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes, compared to the control and the DXM-success groups and fewer activated CD4+ T-lymphocytes, Tregs and NK cells compared to the control group. At the time of treatment completion, the number of all investigated lymphocyte subsets increased in the DXM-success group and was similar to those of the control group. NK cells significantly decreased over time in the DXM-failure group. CONCLUSION The lymphocyte kinetics differ between DXM-treated and control COVID-19 patients and are associated with clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos Georgios Pappas
- 1st Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- Intensive Care Unit, “G. Gennimatas” General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Anna-Louiza Chaliasou
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Panagopoulos
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Dede
- 1st Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Stavroula Daskalopoulou
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- 5th Department of Internal Medicine, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Evie Moniem
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- 5th Department of Internal Medicine, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Eftychia Polydora
- 1st Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Eirini Grigoriou
- Department of Immunology—Histocompatibility, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Katherina Psarra
- Department of Immunology—Histocompatibility, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandra Tsirogianni
- Department of Immunology—Histocompatibility, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Kalomenidis
- 1st Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
- COVID-19 Unit, “Evangelismos” General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece
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