Autoantibodies Might Affect Acute Disease Severity and Neurological Symptoms

Concentrations of autoantibodies correlate with disease severity.

Why do some people get so much sicker than others with acute COVID-19? And what causes the neurological symptoms — anosmia, fatigue, encephalopathy — seen in some patients? A team from Yale employed a new technology for finding autoantibodies to 2770 extracellular and secreted proteins. They tested 172 patients with severe COVID-19 at one Connecticut hospital, 22 healthcare workers who had mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19, and 30 healthcare workers who were negative for COVID-19.

Compared with uninfected patients, patients with COVID-19 had many more autoantibodies, including antibodies directed at immune-system molecules involved in defense against viral infection. This was particularly true in patients with more severe illness. …

Reviewing Author

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardSerImmune Inc.; DxTerity

Grant / Research SupportNIH (1U54NS105542-01)

Editorial BoardsHarvard Health Letter; UpToDate

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardSerImmune Inc.; DxTerity

Grant / Research SupportNIH (1U54NS105542-01)

Editorial BoardsHarvard Health Letter; UpToDate

Autoantibodies Might Affect Acute Disease Severity and Neurological Symptoms

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Reviewing Author