Hi everyone!
In this issue, we delve into groundbreaking discoveries made by UK scientists, who have identified a crucial link between proteins associated with blood clots and Long Covid. Additionally, we explore a study focusing on clinical phenotypes and quality of life in LongCovid-19, as well as long-term metabolic abnormalities among both healthy individuals and high-risk patients. Furthermore, we examine the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cardiovascular health and the evolutionary changes taking place in the virus among white-tailed deer. Lastly, we highlight research on novel cardiovascular and pulmonary findings in Covid-19 patients and the effects of the virus on cardiac function and biomarkers of oxygen transport, blood coagulation, and inflammation.
Something else I wanted to highlight was that NHLBI Director Gary Gibbons shared that without further funding, RECOVER Initiative may cease in 2025. We desperately need the US federal government to allocate a set budget of some sort for Long Covid!
Media
DEFINITIONS:
Fibrinogen: a protein in the blood that is elevated in individuals with blood clots in the body.
D-dimer: a protein fragment that is also elevated in individuals with blood clots in the body.
SUMMARY:
Scientists have identified molecular signatures in the blood that are linked to brain fog, other cognitive problems, and fatigue in patients diagnosed with long Covid.
The researchers found that raised levels of two different proteins, fibrinogen and D-dimer, were more common in people who developed long Covid symptoms affecting their brains.
The presence of these proteins suggests the presence of blood clots in the body, which is likely the cause of the reported symptoms.
The findings could help identify patients who are at a higher risk of long Covid and could potentially benefit from treatments such as anticoagulants.
However, more research and clinical trials are needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind long Covid and to develop effective treatments.
Article: Leigh-Anne caught COVID-19 in 2022. Her life has never been the same | SBS News
DEFINITIONS:
Cognitive impairment: Also referred to as 'brain fog,' cognitive impairment is a condition that causes memory loss, poor concentration, mental fatigue, and other cognitive difficulties.
SUMMARY:
Leigh-Anne Sharland experienced cognitive impairment and memory loss after contracting COVID-19.
Cognitive impairment, commonly known as 'brain fog,' can be debilitating and affect a person's ability to work and function normally.
My Take:
Many people have had Long Covid and ME/CFS for years. Stories like this are necessary for the public to understand that this can be a lifelong condition.
Article: After the pandemic ends, long COVID still needs congressional attention
SUMMARY:
After the formal end of the COVID-19 public health emergency in May, attention in Congress has largely been focused on priorities other than the pandemic.
Three US Senators affected with Long Covid wrote this opinion piece. In it, they ‘urge Congress to enact the Long COVID Support Act.’
‘We served in the U.S. Senate during some of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic and, somewhere along the way, caught COVID-19.
Today, we all live with long COVID of varying severity levels, and we’re openly discussing it because we know there are a lot of people who are having similar experiences.’
My Take:
It is crucial for Congress to continue addressing the ongoing impact of long COVID
The Long Covid ReCOVer funds will not last forever, we need longer-lasting options.
Research
DEFINITIONS:
Clinical phenotypes: refers to distinct patterns of symptoms and characteristics observed in a group of individuals with a particular condition.
SUMMARY:
The study aimed to define the clinical phenotypes and quality of life associated with post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) through a cluster analysis of a multinational, prospective cohort.
Four clinical phenotypes of PCS were identified: chronic fatigue-like syndrome, respiratory syndrome, chronic pain syndrome, and neurosensorial syndrome.
Various factors were associated with each clinical phenotype, including gender, medical history, symptoms at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, and treatment received.
Severity of PCS was determined based on the impact on quality of life, with respiratory syndrome and chronic pain syndrome showing the greatest reduction in quality of life compared to PCS-negative controls.
DEFINITIONS:
Nonsevere COVID-19: refers to COVID-19 cases that are not severe and do not require hospitalization or oxygen supplementation.
Multiple metabolic abnormalities: refers to the presence of more than one abnormality in metabolic parameters such as body weight, BMI, glycemic control, lipid levels, liver function, and CRP levels.
SUMMARY:
The study aimed to examine the metabolic outcomes and associated factors in individuals with nonsevere COVID-19 three and six months after onset.
The prevalence of long-term multiple metabolic abnormalities was found to be significant, with over one-third of healthy individuals and nearly half of high-risk individuals experiencing multiple abnormalities.
Factors that were independently associated with a lower risk of multiple metabolic abnormalities included being female, having dyslipidemia, and receiving at least three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The findings suggest that both healthy and high-risk individuals with nonsevere COVID-19 should be monitored for metabolic profiles and encouraged to adopt healthy behaviors.
SUMMARY:
COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, and stroke for up to one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The study investigates whether SARS-CoV-2 directly infects the coronary vasculature and atherosclerotic plaques.
The researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detectable and replicated in coronary atherosclerotic lesions from patients with severe COVID-19.
SARS-CoV-2 infection localized to plaque macrophages and showed a stronger presence in arterial lesions compared to corresponding perivascular fat.
My Take:
This study provides evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can infect macrophages in coronary atherosclerotic lesions, leading to local inflammation that may contribute to acute cardiovascular complications and long-term risk for cardiovascular events.
Again, further evidence that one of Covid’s most damaging entry paths is through our blood vessels. I wonder if this applies to other viruses?
SUMMARY:
This study detected that SARS-CoV-2 was introduced from humans into white-tailed deer more than 30 times in Ohio, USA during November 2021-March 2022.
The virus then spread through deer-to-deer transmission for 2-8 months, disseminating across hundreds of kilometers.
SARS-CoV-2 evolution was found to be three times faster in white-tailed deer compared to the rate observed in humans, driven by different mutational biases and selection pressures.
No critical phenotypic changes were observed in animal models using white-tailed deer origin viruses, but the risk of future changes could have serious consequences for humans and livestock.
My Take:
Not Long Covid-related research but super interesting and important.
[PAYWALLED]
DEFINITIONS:
Nuclear stress testing: A diagnostic test that uses radioactive tracers to evaluate blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during exercise or pharmacological stress.
Myocardial perfusion: The blood flow to the heart muscle that provides oxygen and nutrients to keep it functioning properly.
Radiotracer: A radioactive substance that is injected into the body to allow imaging techniques to monitor its distribution and activity.
SPECT imaging: Single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging, a nuclear medicine imaging technique that uses gamma rays emitted by a radiotracer to construct 3D images of an organ.
SUMMARY:
This paper presents the unique feature of lung uptake abnormalities discovered on nuclear stress testing for cardiac perfusion defects in individuals with recent COVID-19 or ongoing infection.
Due to the inflammatory nature of COVID-19, myocardial perfusion nuclear stress testing has shown increased uptake of radiotracers in the lungs, indicating an ongoing pathologic process.
It has been suggested that many patients with potentially abnormal imaging tests have been missed during the pandemic.
In patients with known coronary artery disease, the presence of COVID-19 infection is associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular events.
A novel finding in patients undergoing SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging during COVID-19 infection is ongoing inflammation in the lung fields with a characteristic linear uptake pattern.
Hope
DEFINITIONS:
Raman spectroscopy: a technique that measures the interaction of light with matter to provide information about the molecular composition of a sample.
Artificial intelligence: the simulation of human intelligence by machines, including the ability to learn, reason, and make decisions.
SUMMARY:
Diagnosis of ME/CFS is challenging, with most patients relying on self-report and subjective measures.
A study published in Advanced Science presents a promising new diagnostic approach using single-cell Raman spectroscopy and artificial intelligence.
The study found that Raman profiles of blood cells can accurately distinguish between healthy individuals, disease controls, and ME/CFS patients, as well as different severity levels.
My Take:
This promising approach could provide a more objective and accurate diagnosis for ME/CFS, which is currently reliant on self-report and subjective measures. I had never heard of Raman Spectroscopy before but this sounds very interesting.
We desperately need more funding for promising research paths like this. It is clear a ton of research teams have many leads but need funding to get to the finish line.
I fear Republicans in the U.S. will never approve extended funding for reCOVer (or much else for that matter). Thank you for these newsletters and the great links.