Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41761677›Full record

ArticleNeuropsychopharmacology reports2026

Persistent Interleukin-1β Elevation in Post-COVID-19 Patients: Findings From a Nationwide Registry Study in Japan.

Naoki Takamatsu, Hiroki Kimura, Mari S Oba, Hiroyuki Chiba, Ikue Umemoto, Yuki Moriyama, Nobuaki Matsunaga, Shinichiro Morioka, Daisuke Mori, Kazuhiro Hara and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuropsychopharmacology reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

21 authors.

Naoki TakamatsuNational Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1704-6411
Hiroki KimuraDepartment of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0610-7904
Mari S ObaDepartment of Clinical Data Science, Clinical Research & Education Promotion Division, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Hiroyuki ChibaNational Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Ikue UmemotoNational Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Yuki MoriyamaDisease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Nobuaki MatsunagaAMR Clinical Reference Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Shinichiro MoriokaDisease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Daisuke MoriBrain and Mind Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Kazuhiro HaraDepartment of Neurology, Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center, Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Aya OguraBrain and Mind Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Kazufumi YoshidaNational Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Hirohisa WatanabeDepartment of Neurology, Fujita Health University Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Satoshi MaesawaBrain and Mind Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Masashi IkedaDepartment of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Masahisa KatsunoBrain and Mind Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Norio OhmagariDisease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Masaki TakaoDepartment of Clinical Laboratory and Internal Medicine, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5392-996X
Shinsuke KitoDepartment of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6460-1054
Norio OzakiPathophysiology of Mental Disorders, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Hironori KugaNational Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

Intramural Research Grant for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 3-8Intramural Research Grant for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 5-PSCOREIntramural Research Grant for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 6-8Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development 22dk0307115h0001Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development JP23gm1910005
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimCOVID-19 has been associated with dysregulated immune responses, with increasing evidence indicating sustained inflammasome activation and subsequent pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This study aimed to characterize the temporal profile of inflammatory markers, particularly interleukin (IL)-1β, in post-COVID-19 patients compared with pre-pandemic healthy controls, using data from the Psychiatric Symptoms for COVID-19 Registry Japan (PSCORE-J).

methodsBlood samples were analyzed from 119 post-COVID-19 patients (median age 45 years) recruited during 2023 and 374 pre-pandemic healthy controls (median age 65 years). For post-COVID-19 patients, samples were collected at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months. Multiple inflammatory markers were assessed, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IFN-β, IP-10, ACE2, and eotaxin. Age- and sex-adjusted analyses were performed on log-transformed IL-1β levels.

resultsIL-1β levels were significantly elevated in post-COVID-19 patients compared with healthy controls across all age groups (under 30s: 0.69 ± 0.33 vs. 0.25 ± 0.03; 30s: 0.70 ± 0.63 vs. 0.26 ± 0.09; 40s: 0.84 ± 0.76 vs. 0.30 ± 0.23; 50s: 0.67 ± 0.65 vs. 0.26 ± 0.10; 60 or over: 0.54 ± 0.30 vs. 0.26 ± 0.23 pg/mL). This elevation was sustained throughout the 9-month follow-up (baseline: 0.500 [0.33-0.890]; 3 months: 0.630 [0.28-1.290]; 9 months: 0.54 [0.29-0.96] pg/mL) compared with controls (0.24 [0.21-0.27] pg/mL). Other inflammatory markers showed either no significant differences or were paradoxically lower in patients.

conclusionSARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with persistent elevation of IL-1β levels that remains stable over a 9-month period, suggesting sustained inflammasome activation. These findings provide novel insight into post-COVID-19 inflammatory processes and may have important implications for understanding both acute and chronic manifestations of the disease.

trial registrationJapan Registry of Clinical Trials: jRCT1030220711.

Indexed as

COVID-19Interleukin-1betaAdultAgedBiomarkersFemaleHumansJapanMaleMiddle AgedPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeRegistriesSARS-CoV-2BiomarkersIL1B protein, humanInterleukin-1betabiomarkersCOVID‐19inflammationinterleukin‐1betaSARS‐CoV‐2

Identifiers

PMID41761677
PMCPMC12949360

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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.