• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Endothelial dysfunction and altered endothelial biomarkers in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrom... (Haffke et al, 2022)

Messages
600
Endothelial dysfunction and altered endothelial biomarkers in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Haffke et al, 2022

Authors:
Milan Haffke, Helma Freitag, Gordon Rudolf, Martina Seifert, Wolfram Doehner, Nadja Scherbakov, Leif Hanitsch, Kirsten Wittke, Sandra Bauer, Frank Konietschke, Friedemann Paul, Judith Bellmann-Strobl, Claudia Kedor, Carmen Scheibenbogen & Franziska Sotzny


Abstract:

Background
Fatigue, exertion intolerance and post-exertional malaise are among the most frequent symptoms of Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS), with a subset of patients fulfilling criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). As SARS-CoV-2 infects endothelial cells, causing endotheliitis and damaging the endothelium, we investigated endothelial dysfunction (ED) and endothelial biomarkers in patients with PCS.

Methods
We studied the endothelial function in 30 PCS patients with persistent fatigue and exertion intolerance as well as in 15 age- and sex matched seronegative healthy controls (HCs). 14 patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. The other patients were considered to have PCS. Peripheral endothelial function was assessed by the reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) using peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) in patients and HCs. In a larger cohort of patients and HCs, including post-COVID reconvalescents (PCHCs), Endothelin-1 (ET-1), Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), Endocan (ESM-1), IL-8, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 were analysed as endothelial biomarkers.

Results
Five of the 14 post-COVID ME/CFS patients and five of the 16 PCS patients showed ED defined by a diminished RHI (< 1.67), but none of HCs exhibited this finding. A paradoxical positive correlation of RHI with age, blood pressure and BMI was found in PCS but not ME/CFS patients. The ET-1 concentration was significantly elevated in both ME/CFS and PCS patients compared to HCs and PCHCs. The serum Ang-2 concentration was lower in both PCS patients and PCHCs compared to HCs.

Conclusion
A subset of PCS patients display evidence for ED shown by a diminished RHI and altered endothelial biomarkers. Different associations of the RHI with clinical parameters as well as varying biomarker profiles may suggest distinct pathomechanisms among patient subgroups.

The study: https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-022-03346-2
 

pattismith

Senior Member
Messages
3,931
This post covid study shows high endothelin is common after acute covid.

Sustained inflammation, coagulation activation and elevated endothelin-1 levels without macrovascular dysfunction at 3 months after COVID-19 - ScienceDirect
Highlights

No indication of macrovascular dysfunction 3 months after acute COVID-19

Elevated ET-1 levels during acute COVID-19, and further elevated after 3 months

Increased coagulation activity & high inflammatory cytokines 3 months post-COVID-19

Results and conclusions
The prevalence of macrovascular dysfunction did not differ between the COVID-19 (18.6%) and the historic cohort (22.5%, RD −4%, 95%CI: −15–7, p = 0.49).

Endothelin-1 levels were significantly higher in acute COVID-19 (1.67 ± 0.64 pg/mL) as compared to controls (1.24 ± 0.37, p < 0.001), and further elevated 3 months post-COVID-19 (2.74 ± 1.81, p < 0.001).

Thrombin:antithrombin(AT) was high in 48.3%. Markers of contact activation were increased in 16–30%.

FVIIa:AT (35%) and Von Willebrand Factor:antigen (80.8%) were elevated. Inflammatory cytokine levels were high in a majority: interleukin(IL)-18 (73.9%), IL-6 (47.7%), and IL-1ra (48.9%).

At 3 months after acute COVID-19 there was no indication of macrovascular dysfunction; there was evidence, however, of sustained endothelial cell involvement, coagulation activity and inflammation.

Our data highlight the importance of further studies on SARS-CoV-2 related vascular inflammation and thrombosis, as well as longer follow-up in recovered patients.