Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39578766›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2024

Exploring the landscape of symptom-specific inflammatory cytokines in post-COVID syndrome patients.

Chafik Tilikete, Imen Zamali, Zeineb Meddeb, Ghassen Kharroubi, Soumaya Marzouki, Tarak Dhaouadi, Ahlem Ben Hmid, Samar Samoud, Yousr Galai, Selma Charfeddine and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Cardiovascular Symposium on Perspectives in Long COVID.Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis
    Review
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

16 authors.

Chafik TiliketeFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Imen ZamaliFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Zeineb MeddebFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ghassen KharroubiFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Soumaya MarzoukiDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Tarak DhaouadiFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ahlem Ben HmidFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Samar SamoudDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Yousr GalaiDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Selma CharfeddineDepartment of Cardiology, Hedi Chaker University Hospital Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
Leila AbidDepartment of Cardiology, Hedi Chaker University Hospital Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
Salem AbdessalemPasteur Clinic, Tunis, Tunisia.
Jihène BettaiebDepartment of Clinical Immunology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Saloua HamzaouiFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Kamel BouslamaFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Mélika Ben AhmedFaculté de Médecine de Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia. melika.benahmed@pasteur.tn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPost-COVID syndrome (PCS) is characterized by a polymorphism of symptoms with hypothetical pathophysiological mechanisms. Here, we aimed to analyze the profile of inflammatory cytokines in patients with PCS and to study the relationship between this profile, the clinical symptoms as well as the endothelial function in PCS.

methodsOur analytical study involved all eligible patients (n = 66) with PCS included from April 2021 to December 2021. The serum concentration of cytokines IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-27, IP-10, MCP-1 and TNF-α was quantified by flow cytometry. Endothelial function was explored by assessing microvascular flow and reactivity using thermal probes. A comparative study was carried out according to the presence of each PCS symptom.

resultsThe average age of our patients was 55.9 ± 16.2 years. The sex ratio was 0.69. Forty-one patients (62%) presented with a severe form of acute infection. The most frequently reported symptoms were dyspnea (67%), fatigue (50%), and memory problems (32%). Fifty-seven patients (86%) had endothelial dysfunction. The majority of patients had increased levels of IP-10 (100%), IL-8 (95%), IFN-γ (95%), MCP-1 (80%), and TNF-α (70%). The serum concentration of IL-10 was below the threshold of quantification in 89% of subjects. The severe form of acute infection was associated with elevated IL-10, MCP-1, and IL-27. Increased IL-6 and IL-27 levels were associated with fatigue while IL-8 concentrations were higher in patients who reported dyspnea. Elevation of IL-8 level was more common in patients with profound impairment of endothelial function.

conclusionOur results further support the presence of endothelial dysfunction in PCS and show an elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines with a downmodulation of the IL-10- anti-inflammatory response. In addition, immuno-clinical phenotypes emerge, such as an inflammatory profile mediated by IL-6 and IL-27 in fatigue and IL-8 in dyspnea. The identification of immuno-clinical phenotypes would allow a better understanding of the pathophysiology of PCS symptoms.

Indexed as

COVID-19CytokinesAdultAgedFemaleHumansInflammationMaleMiddle AgedPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeSARS-CoV-2CytokinesCytokinesEndothelial dysfunctionFlow cytometryPost-COVID-19 syndromeSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID39578766
PMCPMC11583569

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.