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Di Ciaula A, Liberale L, Portincasa P, Khalil M, Galerati I, Farella I, Noto A, JohnBritto S, Moriero M, Michelauz C, Frè F, Olivero C, Bertolotto M, Montecucco F, Carbone F, Bonfrate L. Neutrophil degranulation, endothelial and metabolic dysfunction in unvaccinated long COVID patients. Eur J Clin Invest 2024; 54:e14155. [PMID: 38226472 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long COVID symptoms are widely diffused and have a poorly understood pathophysiology, with possible involvement of inflammatory cytokines. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective follow-up study involved 385 unvaccinated patients, started 1 month after SARS-CoV-2 infection and continued for up to 12 months. We compared circulating biomarkers of neutrophil degranulation, endothelial and metabolic dysfunction in subjects with long COVID symptoms and in asymptomatic post-COVID controls. RESULTS The highest occurrence of symptoms (71%) was after 3 months from the infection, decreasing to 62.3% and 29.4% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Compared to controls, long COVID patients had increased levels of the neutrophilic degranulation indices MMP-8 and MPO, of endothelial dysfunction indices L-selectin and P-selectin. Among indices of metabolic dysfunction, leptin levels were higher in long COVID patients than in controls. CONCLUSION In unvaccinated patients, symptoms may persist up to 1 year after acute COVID infection, with increased indices of neutrophil degranulation, endothelial and metabolic dysfunction. The clinical implications of specific inflammatory biomarkers require further attention, especially in individuals with fatigue and long COVID-linked cognitive dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostino Di Ciaula
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Luca Liberale
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Genoa-Italian Cardiovascular Network, Genoa, Italy
| | - Piero Portincasa
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Mohamad Khalil
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Ilaria Galerati
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Ilaria Farella
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonino Noto
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Stephy JohnBritto
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Margherita Moriero
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Cristina Michelauz
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Frè
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Olivero
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Bertolotto
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Montecucco
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Genoa-Italian Cardiovascular Network, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Carbone
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Genoa-Italian Cardiovascular Network, Genoa, Italy
| | - Leonilde Bonfrate
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Preventive and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePrev-J), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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