We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Endothelial dysfunction and altered endothelial biomarkers in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
- Authors
Haffke, Milan; Freitag, Helma; Rudolf, Gordon; Seifert, Martina; Doehner, Wolfram; Scherbakov, Nadja; Hanitsch, Leif; Wittke, Kirsten; Bauer, Sandra; Konietschke, Frank; Paul, Friedemann; Bellmann-Strobl, Judith; Kedor, Claudia; Scheibenbogen, Carmen; Sotzny, Franziska
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Fatigue, exertion intolerance and post-exertional malaise are among the most frequent symptoms of Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS), with a subset of patients fulfilling criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). As SARS-CoV-2 infects endothelial cells, causing endotheliitis and damaging the endothelium, we investigated endothelial dysfunction (ED) and endothelial biomarkers in patients with PCS.<bold>Methods: </bold>We studied the endothelial function in 30 PCS patients with persistent fatigue and exertion intolerance as well as in 15 age- and sex matched seronegative healthy controls (HCs). 14 patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. The other patients were considered to have PCS. Peripheral endothelial function was assessed by the reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) using peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) in patients and HCs. In a larger cohort of patients and HCs, including post-COVID reconvalescents (PCHCs), Endothelin-1 (ET-1), Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), Endocan (ESM-1), IL-8, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 were analysed as endothelial biomarkers.<bold>Results: </bold>Five of the 14 post-COVID ME/CFS patients and five of the 16 PCS patients showed ED defined by a diminished RHI (< 1.67), but none of HCs exhibited this finding. A paradoxical positive correlation of RHI with age, blood pressure and BMI was found in PCS but not ME/CFS patients. The ET-1 concentration was significantly elevated in both ME/CFS and PCS patients compared to HCs and PCHCs. The serum Ang-2 concentration was lower in both PCS patients and PCHCs compared to HCs.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>A subset of PCS patients display evidence for ED shown by a diminished RHI and altered endothelial biomarkers. Different associations of the RHI with clinical parameters as well as varying biomarker profiles may suggest distinct pathomechanisms among patient subgroups.
- Subjects
CHRONIC fatigue syndrome; ENDOTHELIUM diseases; POST-acute COVID-19 syndrome; ENDOTHELIAL cells; COVID-19 pandemic; ANGIOTENSIN converting enzyme; ENDOTHELIUM
- Publication
Journal of Translational Medicine, 2022, Vol 20, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1479-5876
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1186/s12967-022-03346-2