Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39435694›Full record

SynthesisExpert reviews in molecular medicine2024

Epigenetic changes in patients with post-acute COVID-19 symptoms (PACS) and long-COVID: A systematic review.

Madhura Shekhar Patil, Emma Richter, Lara Fanning, Jolien Hendrix, Arne Wyns, Laura Barrero Santiago, Jo Nijs, Lode Godderis, Andrea Polli

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Expert reviews in molecular medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
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  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Madhura Shekhar PatilCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Emma RichterCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Lara FanningCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Jolien HendrixCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Arne WynsPain in Motion (PAIN) Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology, and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Laura Barrero SantiagoDepartment of Cell Biology, Genetics, Pharmacology and Histology - University of Valladolid, Spain.
Jo NijsPain in Motion (PAIN) Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology, and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Lode GodderisCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Andrea PolliCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-8559-2217

Funding

European College for Lymphatic TherapyResearch Foundation – Flanders
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUp to 30% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 report disabling symptoms 2 years after the infection. Over 100 persistent symptoms have been associated with Post-Acute COVID-19 Symptoms (PACS) and/or long-COVID, showing a significant clinical heterogeneity. To develop effective, patient-targeted treatment, a better understanding of underlying mechanisms is needed. Epigenetics has helped elucidating the pathophysiology of several health conditions and it might help unravelling inter-individual differences in patients with PACS and long-COVID. As accumulating research is exploring epigenetic mechanisms in PACS and long-COVID, we systematically summarized the available literature on the topic.

methodsWe interrogated five databases (Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and medXriv/bioXriv) and followed PRISMA and SWiM guidelines to report our results.

resultsEight studies were included in our review. Six studies explored DNA methylation in PACS and/or long-COVID, while two studies explored miRNA expression in long-COVID associated with lung complications. Sample sizes were mostly small and study quality was low or fair. The main limitation of the included studies was a poor characterization of the patient population that made a homogeneous synthesis of the literature challenging. However, studies on DNA methylation showed that mechanisms related to the immune and the autonomic nervous system, and cell metabolism might be implicated in the pathophysiology of PACS and long-COVID.

conclusionEpigenetic changes might help elucidating PACS and long-COVID underlying mechanisms, aid subgrouping, and point towards tailored treatments. Preliminary evidence is promising but scarce. Biological and epigenetic research on long-COVID will benefit millions of people suffering from long-COVID and has the potential to be transferable and benefit other conditions as well, such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). We urge future research to employ longitudinal designs and provide a better characterization of included patients.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeHumansMicroRNAsSARS-CoV-2MicroRNAsDNA methylationepigeneticslong-COVIDmiRNAsPACS

Identifiers

PMID39435694
PMCPMC11505605

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.