Early Blood Testing for Viral Measurement During Initial Diagnosis Can Predict Long COVID
|
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 24 Jan 2022 |
|
Researchers have identified several factors that can be measured using blood tests at the initial point of COVID-19 diagnosis that anticipate if a patient is likely to develop long COVID.
These “PASC factors” identified by researchers at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB; Seattle, WA, USA) are the presence of certain autoantibodies, pre-existing Type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in the blood, and Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels in blood. Additionally, the researchers found that mild cases of COVID-19, not just severe cases, are associated with long COVID. They have also suggested administering antivirals very early in the disease course to potentially prevent some Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) symptoms.
A significant portion of people who contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus – some estimates suggest more than 40% – suffer chronic effects known as PASC, commonly referred to as long COVID. PASC symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, the loss of taste and smell, shortness of breath, and more. For their study, the researchers collected blood and swab samples from 309 COVID-19 patients at different time points to perform comprehensive phenotyping which was integrated with clinical data and patient-reported symptoms to carry out a deep multi-omic, longitudinal investigation. A key finding from the study deals with viral load, which can be measured near diagnosis to predict long COVID symptoms.
In addition, researchers found the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) – a virus that infects 90 percent of the human population and is normally inactive in the body after infection – is reactivated early on after SARS-CoV-2 infection, which is significantly associated with future long COVID symptoms. The team also found that PASC is anticipated by autoantibodies (which associate with autoimmune diseases like lupus) at diagnosis, and that as autoantibodies increase, protective SARS-CoV-2 antibodies decrease. This suggests a relationship between long COVID, autoantibodies and patients at elevated risk of re-infections.
“Identifying these PASC factors is a major step forward for not only understanding long COVID and potentially treating it, but also which patients are at highest risk for the development of chronic conditions,” said ISB President, Dr. Jim Heath. “These findings are also helping us frame our thinking around other chronic conditions, such as post-acute Lyme syndrome, for example.”
“Long COVID is causing significant morbidity in survivors of COVID-19, yet the pathobiology is poorly understood,” said Dr. Jason Goldman, an infectious disease expert at Swedish. “Our study pairs clinical data and patient-reported outcomes with deep multi-omic analyses to unravel important biological associations that occur in patients with PASC. Certain findings such as the low cortisol state in patients with long COVID have potential to translate rapidly to the clinic. Our results form an important foundation for the development of therapeutics to treat long COVID.”
Related Links:
ISB
Latest COVID-19 News
- Low-Cost System Detects SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Hospital Air Using High-Tech Bubbles
- World's First Inhalable COVID-19 Vaccine Approved in China
- COVID-19 Vaccine Patch Fights SARS-CoV-2 Variants Better than Needles
- Blood Viscosity Testing Can Predict Risk of Death in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
- ‘Covid Computer’ Uses AI to Detect COVID-19 from Chest CT Scans
- MRI Lung-Imaging Technique Shows Cause of Long-COVID Symptoms
- Chest CT Scans of COVID-19 Patients Could Help Distinguish Between SARS-CoV-2 Variants
- Specialized MRI Detects Lung Abnormalities in Non-Hospitalized Long COVID Patients
- AI Algorithm Identifies Hospitalized Patients at Highest Risk of Dying From COVID-19
- Sweat Sensor Detects Key Biomarkers That Provide Early Warning of COVID-19 and Flu
- Study Assesses Impact of COVID-19 on Ventilation/Perfusion Scintigraphy
- CT Imaging Study Finds Vaccination Reduces Risk of COVID-19 Associated Pulmonary Embolism
- Third Day in Hospital a ‘Tipping Point’ in Severity of COVID-19 Pneumonia
- Longer Interval Between COVID-19 Vaccines Generates Up to Nine Times as Many Antibodies
- AI Model for Monitoring COVID-19 Predicts Mortality Within First 30 Days of Admission
- AI Predicts COVID Prognosis at Near-Expert Level Based Off CT Scans
Channels
Artificial Intelligence
view channel
Machine Learning Approach Enhances Liver Cancer Risk Stratification
Hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer, is often detected late despite targeted surveillance programs. Current screening guidelines emphasize patients with known cirrhosis,... Read more
New AI Approach Monitors Brain Health Using Passive Wearable Data
Brain health spans cognitive and emotional functions and can fluctuate even in adults without diagnosed disease. Detecting early changes remains difficult in routine care and burdens specialty services... Read more
Critical Care
view channel
Automated IV Labeling Solution Improves Infusion Safety and Efficiency
Medication administration in high-acuity settings is often complicated by multiple concurrent infusions, making accurate line identification essential. In a 10-hospital intensive care unit study, 60% of... Read more
First-Of-Its-Kind AI Tool Detects Pulmonary Hypertension from Standard ECGs
Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive, life‑threatening disease that is frequently missed early because symptoms such as dyspnea are nonspecific and diagnostic delays can exceed two years.... Read more
Surgical Techniques
view channel
Continuous Monitoring with Wearables Enhances Postoperative Patient Safety
Postoperative hypoxemia on general surgical wards is common and often missed by intermittent vital sign checks. Undetected low oxygen levels can delay recovery and raise the risk of complications that... Read more
New Approach Enables Customized Muscle Tissue Without Biomaterial Scaffolds
Volumetric muscle loss is a traumatic loss of skeletal muscle that often leads to permanent functional impairment and limited reconstructive options. Current experimental strategies struggle to deliver... Read more
Patient Care
view channel
Wearable Sleep Data Predict Adherence to Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disorder that makes breathing difficult and often disturbs sleep, reducing energy for daily activities. Limited engagement in pulmonary... Read more
Revolutionary Automatic IV-Line Flushing Device to Enhance Infusion Care
More than 80% of in-hospital patients receive intravenous (IV) therapy. Every dose of IV medicine delivered in a small volume (<250 mL) infusion bag should be followed by subsequent flushing to ensure... Read more
Health IT
view channel
EMR-Based Tool Predicts Graft Failure After Kidney Transplant
Kidney transplantation offers patients with end-stage kidney disease longer survival and better quality of life than dialysis, yet graft failure remains a major challenge. Although a successful transplant... Read more
Printable Molecule-Selective Nanoparticles Enable Mass Production of Wearable Biosensors
The future of medicine is likely to focus on the personalization of healthcare—understanding exactly what an individual requires and delivering the appropriate combination of nutrients, metabolites, and... Read more
Business
view channel
GE HealthCare Leads Major European Initiative to Advance Cardio-Oncology Care
Cardiovascular complications are increasingly recognized among people undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment, driven by pre‑existing disease and the cardiotoxic effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy,... Read more
