Long COVID Has a Multifaceted Pathophysiologic Signature

Patients with long COVID exhibited terminal complement system dysregulation with associated thromboinflammation.

An estimated 20% of patients with acute COVID-19 (and 5% of all SARS-CoV-2–infected individuals) develop long-term sequelae (“long COVID”) marked by fatigue, exertional malaise, and cognitive impairment. The underlying multifactorial pathophysiology of long COVID is believed to be rooted in immunologic, neuropathic, and metabolic causes. Cervia-Hasler et al. followed a cohort of 113 patients with acute COVID-19 and 39 healthy controls for up to 1 year. At 6-month follow-up, 40 patients (35%) had residual long-COVID symptoms. Clinical assessments and blood draws yielded 268 samples for analysis with proteomics. Application of computational tools to assess >6500 serum proteins yielded biomarkers of interest that were further examined directly…

Reviewing Author

George Sakoulas, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParatek Pharmaceuticals; Nestle Corp.; AbbVie; Shionogi

Speaker’s BureauAllergan/AbbVie; Paratek Pharmaceuticals; Nestle Corp.

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy; Open Forum Infectious Diseases

George Sakoulas, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParatek Pharmaceuticals; Nestle Corp.; AbbVie; Shionogi

Speaker’s BureauAllergan/AbbVie; Paratek Pharmaceuticals; Nestle Corp.

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy; Open Forum Infectious Diseases

Long COVID Has a Multifaceted Pathophysiologic Signature

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Reviewing Author