Covid19-Sources

Background: Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, or long COVID, is a condition characterized by persistent COVID-19 symptoms. As long COVID is defined by clinical criteria after an elapsed period, an opportunity for early intervention may aid in future prophylactic approaches; however, at present, the pathobiological mechanisms are multifactorial. By analyzing early virally infected upper respiratory tract tissue prior to eventual clinical diagnosis, it may be possible to identify biomarkers of altered immune response to facilitate future studies and interventions. Methods: This is a sub-group analysis of samples collected from those with confirmed COVID-19. RNA extraction from nasopharyngeal/mid-turbinate samples, sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis were performed to analyze long COVID and non-long COVID cohorts at day 14 post infection. Differences in mean viral load at various timepoints were analyzed as well as serological data. Results: We identified 26 upregulated genes in patients experiencing long COVID. Dysregulated pathways including complement and fibrinolysis pathways and IL-7 upregulation. Additionally, genes involved in neurotransmission were dysregulated, and the long COVID group had a significantly higher viral load and slower viral clearance. Conclusions: Uncovering early gene pathway abnormalities associated with eventual long COVID diagnosis may aid in early identification. We show that, post acute infection, in situ pathogenic deviations in viral response are associated with patients destined to meet consensus long COVID diagnosis that is entirely dependent on clinical factors. These results identify an important biological temporal window in the natural history of COVID-19 infection and long COVID pathogenesis amenable to testing from standard-of-care upper respiratory tract specimens.

Severe COVID-19 can reprogram hematopoiesis and establish epigenetic memory in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) and progeny myeloid cells for up to 1 year. These durable alterations, which could affect post-infection immune responses and equilibrium, are controlled in part by the activity of IL-6 during acute disease.

SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread in the population. We recently reported the production of bovine colostrum-derived antibodies that can neutralize the virus. These have been formulated into a nasal spray. The immunoglobulin preparation is capable of blocking interaction of the trimeric spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 with the cellular receptor ACE2, entry of a pseudovirus carrying the trimeric spike protein into ACE2 over-expressing HEK cells, and entry of the virus into live Vero E6 cells. Using an ELISA assay, we demonstrate here that this holds true for different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

Study Objectives Insomnia, poor sleep quality and extremes of sleep duration are associated with COVID-19 infection. This study assessed whether these factors are related to Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Methods Cross-sectional survey of a general population of 24,803 U.S. adults to determine the association of insomnia, poor sleep quality and sleep duration with PASC. Results Prevalence rates of PASC among previously COVID-19 infected participants for three definitions of PASC were COPE (21.9%), NICE (38.9%) and RECOVER PASC Score (15.3%). PASC was associated with insomnia in all 3 models in fully adjusted models with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) ranging from 1.30 (95% CI: 1.11-1.52, p≤0.05, PASC Score) to 1.52 (95% CI: 1.34-1.71, p≤0.001, (NICE). Poor sleep quality was related to PASC in all models with aORs ranging from 1.77 (95% CI: 1.60-1.97, p≤0.001, NICE) to 2.00 (95% CI: 1.77-2.26, p≤0.001, COPE). Sleep 9 hours was not associated with PASC in any model. Although vaccination with COVID-19 booster decreased the likelihood of developing PASC, it did not attenuate associations between insomnia, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration with PASC in any of the models. Conclusions Insomnia, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration are potential risk factors for PASC. Interventions to improve sleep may decrease the development of PASC. Current Knowledge/Study Rationale Insomnia, poor sleep quality, and extremes of sleep duration have been associated with a higher likelihood of COVID-19 infection. However, evidence implicating an association with the development of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) is scant. Study Impact Results indicate that insomnia, poor sleep quality and sleep duration

d can also develop long-term neurological, endocrine (type I diabetes), and immunological sequelae. Immunological hypofunction is exemplified by the recent large outbreaks of respiratory syncytial virus and streptococcal infections. Neurological manifestations are associated with anatomical brain damage demonstrated on brain scans and autopsy studies. The prefrontal cortex is particularly susceptible. Common symptoms include brain fog, memory loss, executive dysfunction, and personality changes. The impact on society has been profound. Fewer than half of previously employed adults who develop long COVID are working full-time, and 42% of patients reported food insecurity and 20% reported difficulties paying rent. Vaccination not only helps prevent severe COVID-19, but numerous studies have found beneficial effects in preventing and mitigating long COVID. There is also evidence that vaccination after an acute infection can lessen the symptoms of long COVID. Physical and occupational therapy can also help patients regain function, but the approach must be “low and slow.” Too much physical or mental activity can result in post-exertional malaise and set back the recovery process by days or weeks. The complexity of long COVID presentations coupled with rampant organized disinformation, have caused significant segments of the public to ignore sound public health advice. Further research is needed regarding treatment and effective public communication....

DMZ – GESELLSCHAFT ¦ Sarah Koller ¦ KOMMENTAR In den letzten Tagen sind die Krisenstab-Protokolle des Robert Koch-Instituts (RKI) erneut in die Diskussion geraten und haben einige Menschen dazu veranlasst, ihre Verschwörungstheorien zu verbreiten. Doch bevor wir diesen Erzählungen Glauben schenken, ist es wichtig, die Fakten zu betrachten und die Ereignisse in den richtigen Kontext zu setzen. Die Krisenstab-Protokolle des RKI sind keine geheime Verschwörung, sondern einfach Zusammenfassungen von Diskussionen, die im Rahmen des COVID-19-Krisenstabs stattfanden. Diese Diskussionen sind ein Abbild des offenen wissenschaftlichen Diskurses, in dem verschiedene Perspektiven berücksichtigt und abgewogen werden. Es ist jedoch entscheidend zu verstehen, dass nicht jede Äußerung in diesen Diskussionen die offizielle Position des RKI widerspiegelt. Ein besonders umstrittenes Protokoll stammt vom 16. März 2020. Doch um die Bedeutung dieses Protokolls richtig einordnen zu können, müssen wir den globalen Kontext berücksichtigen. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt breitete sich die COVID-19-Pandemie weltweit aus, und Deutschland war keine isolierte Insel. Die steigenden Infektionszahlen, die Pandemieerklärung der WHO und die drastischen Maßnahmen in anderen Ländern bildeten den Hintergrund für die Diskussionen im Krisenstab. Einige Medien und Verschwörungstheoretiker haben spekuliert, dass die Hochstufung der Risikoeinschätzung nicht unabhängig erfolgte. Doch diese Behauptungen sind unbegründet. Die Schwärzung von Namen in den Protokollen dient lediglich dem Schutz der beteiligten Mitarbeiter und ist ein übliches Verfahren bei der Veröffentlichung interner Dokumente. Es ist bedauerlich, dass Verschwörungstheorien weiterhin Verbreitung finden, insbesondere in einer Zeit, in der wissenschaftliche Fakten und Zusammenarbeit entscheidend sind. Die COVID-19-Pandemie betrifft uns alle, unabhängig von unserem Wohnort oder unserer politischen Überzeugung. Es ist entscheidend, dass wir uns auf wissenschaftlich fundierte Informationen verlassen und gemeinsam gegen diese Herausforderung vorgehen. Lasst uns der Verbreitung von falschen Informationen zumindest bremsen und stattdessen zusammenarbeiten, um die Pandemie zu bewältigen. Nur indem wir vernünftig bleiben und uns auf verlässliche Quellen stützen, können wir diese Krise gemeinsam überwinden und uns für eine nächste vorbereiten. Stellungnahme RKI

Patterns of SARS-CoV-2 spread have varied by geolocation, with differences in seroprevalence between urban and rural areas, and between waves. Household spread of SARS-CoV-2 is a known source of new COVID-19 infections, with rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa being more prone than urban areas to COVID-19 transmission because of limited access to water in some areas, delayed health- seeking behaviour and poor access to care. Objectives To explore SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence and transmission in rural households in South Africa (SA). Methods We conducted a prospective household cluster investigation between 13 April and 21 July 2021 in the Matjhabeng subdistrict, a rural area in Free State Province, SA. Adults with SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests (index cases, ICs) and their household contacts (HCs) were enrolled. Household visits conducted at enrolment and on days 7, 14 and 28 included interviewer- administered questionnaires and respiratory and blood sample collection for SARS-CoV-2 PCR and SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G serological testing, respectively. Co-primary cases were HCs with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test at enrolment. The incidence rate (IR), using the Poisson distribution, was HCs with a new positive PCR and/or serological test per 1 000 person-days. Associations between outcomes and HC characteristics were adjusted for intra-cluster correlation using robust standard errors. The secondary infection rate (SIR) was the proportion of new COVID-19 infections among susceptible HCs. Results Among 23 ICs and 83 HCs enrolled, 10 SARS-CoV-2 incident cases were identified, giving an IR of 5.8 per 1 000 person-days (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.14 - 11.95). Households with a co-primary case had higher IRs than households without a co-primary case (crude IR 14.16 v. 1.75, respectively; p=0.054). HIV infection, obesity and the presence of chronic conditions did not materially alter the crude IR. The SIR was 15.9% (95% CI 7.90 - 29.32). Households with a lower household density (fewer household members per bedroom) had a higher IR (IR 9.58; 95% CI 4.67 - 21.71) than households with a higher density (IR 3.06; 95% CI 1.00 - 12.35). Conclusion We found a high SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among HCs in a rural setting, with 48% of households having a co-primary case at the time of enrolment. Households with co-primary cases were associated with a higher seroprevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV-2. Sociodemographic and health characteristics were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission in this study, and we did not identify any transmission risks inherent to a rural setting.

Long COVID has been recognized since early 2020, but its definition is not unanimous, which complicates epidemiological assessments. This study estimated the prevalence of long COVID based on several definitions and severity thresholds in the adult population of mainland France and examined variations according to sociodemographic and infection characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional survey using random sampling was conducted in August–November 2022. Participants declaring SARS-CoV-2 infection were assessed for infection dates and context, post-COVID symptoms (from a list of 31, with onset time, daily functioning impact, and alternative diagnosis), and perceived long COVID. Long COVID prevalence was estimated according to the WHO, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, United States National Centre for Health Statistics, and United Kingdom Office for National Statistics definitions. Results Of 10 615 participants, 5781 (54.5%) reported SARS-CoV-2 infection, with 123–759 (1.2–13.4%) having long COVID, depending on the definition. The prevalence of WHO post-COVID condition (PCC) was 4.0% (95% CI: 3.6–4.5) in the overall population and 8.0% (95% CI: 7.0–8.9) among infected individuals. Among the latter, the prevalence varied from 5.3% (men) to 14.9% (unemployed) and 18.6% (history of hospitalization for COVID-19). WHO-PCC overlapped poorly with other definitions (kappa ranging from 0.18 to 0.59) and perceived long COVID (reported in only 43% of WHO-PCC). Discussion Regardless of its definition, long COVID remains a significant burden in the French adult population that deserves surveillance, notably for forms that strongly impact daily activities. More standardized definitions will improve integrated surveillance of, and better research on, long COVID.

— Daniele Focosi, MD PhD MSc (@dfocosi)

The second post on the NIH’s ME/CFS and long COVID Conference focuses on a timely issue – the brain. The Nath study proposed that ME/CFS was an immune-driven brain disorder. This part of the conference made it clearer than ever that the immune system and the brain are indeed involved. […]

Studies comparing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA load in the upper respiratory tract (URT) between children and adults—who either presented with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or were asymptomatic—have yielded inconsistent results. Here, we conducted a retrospective, single-centre study to address this issue. Patients and methods Included were 1184 consecutive subjects (256 children and 928 adults) testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal exudates (NPs); of these, 424 (121 children and 303 adults) had COVID-19 and 760 (135 children and 625 adults) were asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing was carried out using the TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, MS, USA). The AMPLIRUN® TOTAL SARS-CoV-2 RNA Control (Vircell SA, Granada, Spain) was used for estimating SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads (in copies/mL). SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads at the time of laboratory diagnosis (single specimen/patient) were used for comparison purposes. Results Median initial SARS-CoV-2 RNA load was lower (p 0.094) in children (6.98 log10 copies/mL, range 3.0–11.7) than in adults (7.14 log10 copies/mL, range 2.2–13.4) with COVID-19. As for asymptomatic individuals, median SARS-CoV-2 RNA load was comparable (p 0.97) in children (6.20 log10 copies/mL, range 1.8–11.6) and adults (6.48 log10 copies/mL, range 1.9–11.8). Children with COVID-19 symptoms displayed SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads (6.98 log10 copies/mL, range 3.0–11.7) comparable to those of their asymptomatic counterparts (6.20 log10 copies/mL, range 1.8–11.6) (p 0.61). Meanwhile in adults, median SARS-CoV-2 RNA load was significantly higher in symptomatic (7.14 log10 copies/mL, range 2.2–13.4) than in asymptomatic subjects (6.48 log10 copies/mL, range 1.9–11.8) (p 0.001). Overall, the observed URT SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance rate was faster in children than in adults. Conclusions Based on viral load data at the time of diagnosis, our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2-infected children, with or without COVID-19, may display NP viral loads of comparable magnitude to those found in their adult counterparts. However, children may have shorter viral shedding than adults.

In total, the CDC estimates that there have been roughly 1,185,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US, but reliable estimates of excess deaths attributable to the pandemic place the real figure at over 1.4 million.

Background: Long COVID (LC) is a multisystem clinical syndrome with functional disability and compromised overall health. Information on LC clinical severity types is emerging in cross-sectional studies. This study explored the pattern and consistency of long COVID (LC) clinical severity types over time in a prospective sample. Methods: Participants with LC completed the condition-specific outcome measure C19-YRSm (Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale modified version) at two assessment time points. A cluster analysis for clinical severity types was undertaken at both time points using the k-means partition method. Results: The study included cross-sectional data for 759 patients with a mean age of 46.8 years (SD = 12.7), 69.4% females, and a duration of symptoms of 360 days (IQR 217 to 703 days). The cluster analysis at first assessment revealed three distinct clinical severity type clusters: mild (n = 96), moderate (n = 422), and severe (n = 241). Longitudinal data on 356 patients revealed that the pattern of three clinical severity types remained consistent over time between the two assessments, with 51% of patients switching clinical severity types between the assessments. Conclusions: This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that the pattern of three clinical severity types is consistent over time, with patients also switching between severity types, indicating the fluctuating nature of LC.

Researchers recommend masks, vaccines, vigilance to prevent reinfection

Household contacts of SARS-CoV-2 test-positive asymptomatic children were 5 times more likely to develop symptomatic illness within 2 weeks compared with h

Objective To examine the influence of having a baseline metabolic disorder (diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity) on the risk of developing new clinical sequelae potentially related to SARS-CoV-2 in a large sample of commercially insured adults in the US. Design, setting, and participants Deidentified data were collected from the IBM/Watson MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters (CCAE) Databases and Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits (MDCR) Databases from 2019 to 2021. A total of 839,344 adults aged 18 and above with continuous enrollment in the health plan were included in the analyses. Participants were grouped into four categories based on their COVID-19 diagnosis and whether they had at least one of the three common metabolic disorders at baseline (diabetes, obesity, or hypertension). Measures and methods ICD-10-CM codes were used to determine new symptoms and conditions after the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, defined as ending 21 days after initial diagnosis date, or index period for those who did not have a COVID-19 diagnosis. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to create comparable reference groups. Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Among the 772,377 individuals included in the analyses, 36,742 (4.8%) without and 20,912 (2.7%) with a baseline metabolic disorder were diagnosed with COVID-19. On average, COVID-19 patients with baseline metabolic disorders had more 2.4 more baseline comorbidities compared to those without baseline metabolic disorders. Compared to adults with no baseline metabolic condition, the risks of developing new clinical sequelae were highest among COVID-19 patients with a baseline metabolic condition (HRs ranging from 1.51 to 3.33), followed by those who had a baseline metabolic condition but with no COVID-19 infection (HRs ranging from 1.33 to 2.35), and those who had COVID-19 but no baseline metabolic condition (HRs ranging from 1.34 to 2.85). Conclusions In a large national cohort of commercially insured adults, COVID-19 patients with a baseline metabolic condition had the highest risk of developing new clinical sequelae post-acute infection phase, followed by those who had baseline metabolic condition but no COVID-19 infection and those who had COVID-19 but no baseline metabolic disorder. ### Competing Interest Statement Dr. Stokes reported receiving grants from Johnson & Johnson, Inc. outside of the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported. ### Funding Statement We gratefully acknowledge receiving financial support through grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (77521); the National Institute on Aging (R01-AG060115-04S1); the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (P-6007864-2022); the National Science Foundation (CCF-2200052); and Swiss Re, Inc. The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Ethical approval was granted by the Boston University/Boston Medical Center Institutional Review Board. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.

Here, we target the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) proteome in a case series of 16 patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms treated with HMG-Co-A reductase inhibitors (statin) plus angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) for 6 weeks. Patients suffering from persistent symptoms (post-acute sequelae) after serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (post-COVID-19 syndrome, PCS, n = 8) or following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (PVS, n = 8) were included. Asymptomatic subjects with corresponding serological findings served as healthy controls (n = 8/8). HDL was isolated using dextran sulfate precipitation and the HDL proteome of all study participants was analyzed quantitatively by mass spectrometry. Clinical symptoms were assessed using questionnaires before and after therapy. The inflammatory potential of the patients’ HDL proteome was addressed in human endothelial cells. The HDL proteome of patients with PCS and PVS showed no significant differences; however, compared to controls, the HDL from PVS/PCS patients displayed significant alterations involving hemoglobin, cytoskeletal proteins (MYL6, TLN1, PARVB, TPM4, FLNA), and amyloid precursor protein. Gene Ontology Biological Process (GOBP) enrichment analysis identified hemostasis, peptidase, and lipoprotein regulation pathways to be involved. Treatment of PVS/PCS patients with statins plus ARBs improved the patients’ clinical symptoms. After therapy, three proteins were significantly increased (FAM3C, AT6AP2, ADAM10; FDR 0.05) in the HDL proteome from patients with PVS/PCS. Exposure of human endothelial cells with the HDL proteome from treated PVS/PCS patients revealed reduced inflammatory cytokine and adhesion molecule expression. Thus, HDL proteome analysis from PVS/PCS patients enables a deeper insight into the underlying disease mechanisms, pointing to significant involvement in metabolic and signaling disturbances. Treatment with statins plus ARBs improved clinical symptoms and reduced the inflammatory potential of the HDL proteome. These observations may guide future therapeutic strategies for PVS/PCS patients.

Severe COVID-19 infection triggers changes that affect gene expression in immune system stem cells, causing alterations in the body’s immune response, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Jackson Laboratory investigators.

— Prof. Akiko Iwasaki (@VirusesImmunity)

Welche Rolle kann Arginin bei Long Covid spielen? Über Longcovid will man gar nicht so recht sprechen. Die einen nennen es Hirngespinst, die anderen "noch nicht ausgeheilte Infektion" und wieder andere – vielleicht schwer Betroffene – sprechen von schwerer Erkrankung. Ich persönlich würde vermutlich eher nicht von einer neuen Krankheit sprechen. Das Krankheitsbild ist vielleicht

(1/19) — 💙💛 Jörg Scholl @joscho@meteo.social💉*4 😷↔️😷📯 (@SchollJorg)

The virus may be making us more susceptible to certain cancers

This cohort study examines the association between certain health conditions and lifestyle factors with time to recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection in a US population-based meta-cohort.

LongCOVID (LC) is a public health burden that needs further investigation to robustly characterize the condition. 1/ — Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur)

Ein Marburger Forscherteam hat einen neuen Ansatz zur Behandlung von Post-Covid-Symptomen gefunden: Cholesterin- und Blutdruck-Medikamente zeigen erstaunliche Erfolge. Eine Entwarnung vor dem Corona-Virus will Studieninitiator Bernhard Schieffer im Interview aber nicht geben.

Most children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have mild or minimal disease, with a small proportion developing severe disease or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults but has not been studied in the pediatric population. We hypothesized that complement activation plays an important role in SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and sought to understand if TMA was present in these patients. We enrolled 50 hospitalized pediatric patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 21, minimal coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]; n = 11, severe COVID-19) or MIS-C (n = 18). As a biomarker of complement activation and TMA, soluble C5b9 (sC5b9, normal 247 ng/mL) was measured in plasma, and elevations were found in patients with minimal disease (median, 392 ng/mL; interquartile range [IQR], 244-622 ng/mL), severe disease (median, 646 ng/mL; IQR, 203-728 ng/mL), and MIS-C (median, 630 ng/mL; IQR, 359-932 ng/mL) compared with 26 healthy control subjects (median, 57 ng/mL; IQR, 9-163 ng/mL; P .001). Higher sC5b9 levels were associated with higher serum creatinine (P = .01) but not age. Of the 19 patients for whom complete clinical criteria were available, 17 (89%) met criteria for TMA. A high proportion of tested children with SARS-CoV-2 infection had evidence of complement activation and met clinical and diagnostic criteria for TMA. Future studies are needed to determine if hospitalized children with SARS-CoV-2 should be screened for TMA, if TMA-directed management is helpful, and if there are any short- or long-term clinical consequences of complement activation and endothelial damage in children with COVID-19 or MIS-C.

DMZ – WISSEN ¦ GESUNDHEIT ¦ MEDIZIN ¦ INTERNATIONAL ¦ Weltweit haben sich mehr als 800 Millionen Menschen mit dem Coronavirus angesteckt. Über 20 Millionen Menschen sind bisher im Zusammenhang mit Covid-19 gestorben. - Todesfälle bei 18 Millionen.

DMZ – WISSENSCHAFT ¦ Anton Aeberhard ¦ Eine neue Studie hat die langfristigen Auswirkungen von Long COVID auf den Gehirnstoffwechsel untersucht und anhaltende Beeinträchtigungen festgestellt. Long COVID, das durch anhaltende Symptome nach einer akuten COVID-19-Infektion gekennzeichnet ist, hat sich als bedeutendes Gesundheitsproblem herausgestellt. Eine kürzlich veröffentlichte Studie beleuchtet die langfristigen metabolischen Veränderungen im Gehirn von Long COVID-Patienten. Untersuchungsdesign und Methodik Die Studie, die von Mai 2020 bis Oktober 2022 durchgeführt wurde, verwendete [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET-Scans, um die Hirnaktivität von Patienten mit langanhaltenden COVID-19-Symptomen zu analysieren. Insgesamt wurden 56 erwachsene Long COVID-Patienten zwei FDG-PET-Scans unterzogen, im Abstand von etwa neun Monaten. Als Vergleichsgruppe dienten 51 gesunde Personen. Ergebnisse und Erkenntnisse Die Ergebnisse zeigten ein hypometabolisches Profil in den limbischen Regionen, dem Hirnstamm und dem Kleinhirn der Long COVID-Patienten, was auf eine verringerte Stoffwechselaktivität in diesen Bereichen hinweist. Zwischen den beiden Scans zeigten sich nur geringfügige Verbesserungen im Pons und Kleinhirn, wobei diese nur bei weniger strenger statistischer Auswertung signifikant waren. Von den 14.068 hypometabolischen Voxeln bei PET1 waren 46 % auch bei PET2 hypometabolisch. Umgekehrt waren von den 7.732 hypometabolischen Voxeln bei PET2 78 % auch bei PET1 hypometabolisch. Die ROI-Analyse bestätigte die anhaltende Hypometabolismus ohne signifikante Veränderungen. Diese Ergebnisse unterstreichen die langanhaltenden neurologischen Auswirkungen von Long COVID und die Notwendigkeit weiterer Forschung und spezialisierter Behandlungsansätze. Die begrenzten Verbesserungen deuten darauf hin, dass sich der Gehirnstoffwechsel bei vielen Patienten nur langsam oder unvollständig erholt, was erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Lebensqualität und das Gesundheitsmanagement haben kann. Der Hauptautor der Studie, betont: "Unsere Forschung zeigt deutlich, dass Long COVID mehr als nur eine vorübergehende Krankheit ist. Die persistierenden Hirnstoffwechselstörungen bei betroffenen Patienten erfordern dringende Aufmerksamkeit und spezifische therapeutische Strategien." Schlussfolgerung Diese Studie bietet wichtige Einblicke in die Langzeitfolgen von COVID-19 und hebt die dringende Notwendigkeit weiterer Untersuchungen zur Entwicklung effektiver Behandlungspläne für Long COVID-Patienten hervor. Zur Studie