Post-Acute COVID Biomarker Patterns Vary by Symptom and Time
METHODOLOGY:
PASC affects a considerable number of people after mild acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, but data on its pathophysiologic mechanisms remain limited. In this study, researchers explored symptoms associated with PASC and examined its association with a range of blood biomarkers.
They included participants with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection either asymptomatic or without persistent symptoms categorized into recovered (n = 490) and PASC (n = 311) groups, using data from three French population-based cohorts collected between February 2020 and October 2021.
Participants received two home visits at baseline and 6 months for biological sample collection and completed questionnaires covering medical history, infection status, vaccination status, symptoms, and mental health.
Researchers assessed 14 blood biomarkers, including cytokines, chemokines, immune checkpoints, cell adhesion molecules, and markers of macrophage activation and vascular damage, which are known to be involved in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
TAKEAWAY:
Participants with PASC commonly reported persistent fatigue, breathlessness, cough, and sleep disorders, along with higher rates of depression and anxiety.
Inflammatory biomarkers linked to COVID-19 severity (IFN gamma and CD163) and vascular activation markers (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1) showed significant correlations with specific PASC symptoms, particularly among participants infected within the past year; however, these associations largely disappeared over time.
Viral activation markers (PD-L1 and IP-10) were positively associated with acute-phase symptoms such as anosmia/ageusia and cough, particularly in recent infections.
Complete symptom resolution was more common among participants with recent infections (< 1 year ago) than among those infected a year ago, occurring in 38% vs 20% of cases ( P = .04). Overall, 74% of individuals experienced a resolution of at least one symptom.
IN PRACTICE:
'Biomarker profiles appear to vary according to symptom type and the time elapsed since infection. Consequently, research efforts and treatment strategies should take these parameters into account,' the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Olivier Robineau, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Institut Pierre-Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Paris, France. It was published online on May 30, 2025, in eBioMedicine .
LIMITATIONS:
Individuals with more severe symptoms may have been particularly motivated to participate, introducing selection bias. Additionally, as most biomarker measurements were taken long after participants' initial infection and only a few participants had recent infections, the ability to identify associations specific to the acute phase was likely diminished.
DISCLOSURES:
This study received funding from the French Ministry of Health and Prevention and the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Two authors disclosed receiving financial support from Gilead, ViiV, MSD, Moderna, or Pfizer or nonfinancial support from Nordic Pharma France.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
35 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Hospital Operator IHH Eyes Indonesia, Vietnam for Expansion
IHH Healthcare Bhd. is looking to potential new markets Indonesia and Vietnam as the Malaysian hospital operator continues building scale to offset rising healthcare costs in the region. Indonesia is attractive, thanks to its healthcare reforms and foreign ownership relaxation, while Vietnam has emerged as a booming market, according to Chief Executive Officer Prem Kumar Nair.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Are bees dangerous? What to know after multiple cases of bee attacks
A town in south-central France faced an unusual siege on Sunday, July 6 when a swarm of bees injured 24 people, leaving three in critical condition, local authorities told the Associated Press. Members of a since-relocated hive attacked locals over the course of about 30 minutes, Mayor Pierre Mathonier told local news outlets, and sent three people to the hospital, including a 78-year-old man who went into cardiac arrest before being revived, AP reported. The attack is believed to have been prompted by the presence of Asian hornets, sometimes nicknamed "murder hornets," an invasive species that also has a growing presence in the U.S. The good news is that swarming bee attacks of this severity are rare. Bees and wasps, like plenty of other wildlife, are not known to be particularly aggressive toward humans and generally only attack if their hive has been threatened. While bees and wasps are generally not a risk to people (in fact, their dwindling numbers are a bigger risk to humans as a whole, thanks to the vital role they play in our ecosystem and food chain), stories like the attack out of France are enough to inspire some measure of anxiety. Are bees a potentially deadly danger Americans contend with each time they step out the door? Here's what to know. While only an average of 72 Americans died from hornet, wasp and bee stings each year between 2011 and 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can and does happen, especially in the spring and summer months when North American hives tend to be the most active. Several major bee attacks have been reported in multiple U.S. states in 2025 alone. On Sunday, July 7, bees stung members of a crew working on a nursing home roof in Arizona, killing one and seriously harming two others. In May, a 66-year-old Texas man was killed when a swarm of bees stung him enough times to cause his circulatory system to stop functioning properly. Just weeks before, another Texas resident was attacked by a massive throng that killed three of her horses. Generally speaking, bees and wasps aren't aggressive simply for the sake of being aggressive, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Like most creatures with natural predators, bees have developed mechanisms to protect themselves and their nests. If they perceive humans as a threat, whether that be due to swatting them or disturbing their nest, they may sting as a defense mechanism to ward the threat off. Some bees also release a type of "warning" or "danger" pheromone when they sting that attracts other bees to the fight against the perceived threat at hand, like summoning a small insect army. To avoid drawing the ire of a nest, be aware of your surroundings and avoid nests and swatting at bees hanging out nearby, suggests Mayo Clinic. Cover food when eating outside, avoid floral-smelling colognes and perfumes and wear protective clothing like long sleeves and pants when working or playing outdoors. If you find yourself at the top of a bee or wasp swarm's public enemy list, stay calm and get out of the area quickly. Your best bet is to run to the nearest shelter, suggests an advisory from the University of Arizona, and keep running until you get there. Protect your face, especially your mouth and eyes, by covering the area with whatever you have on hand – a mask, handkerchief, coat, towel, hat or, as a last resort, your shirt could work. Do not try to freeze, play dead or jump into a body of water, the advisory says. The most common cause of serious illness or death from bee stings is an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. An anaphylactic reaction affects your skin, airways, stomach and heart, per the Cleveland Clinic. Although this will vary from person to person, initial symptoms are typically characterized by hives, swelling or edema and breathing difficulties. As symptoms progress, you may begin to experience "tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and then swelling of the face to tongue and lips and eyes," Dr. Payel Gupta, medical director of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at LifeMD, previously told USA TODAY. If left untreated, anaphylaxis can be fatal. Epinephrine is a life-saving medication used to treat anaphylaxis, and it is injected as a shot in your thigh, according to the Mayo Clinic. Anaphylaxis can happen within seconds, which is why it's so important to call 911 and seek medical care at the onset of symptoms, Gupta said. In some cases, victims of bee attacks can die without having a known allergy, especially if they receive an excessive number of stings. Stings contain venom, which usually can be fought off by the body fairly easily. However, being stung dozens of times can make anyone feel sick as their body works to handle the venom and, in the exceedingly rare case that someone is stung hundreds or even thousands of times, the venom may be enough to cause serious illness or even death, according to the Mayo Clinic. People who are not allergic but have been stung multiple times should still seek medical attention, says the Mayo Clinic, and children or those who have existing respiratory issues are especially at risk for an adverse reaction to a larger number of stings. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are bees deadly? What to know after recent bee attacks
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gemma Collins weight-loss drug advert banned
An Instagram post by TV personality Gemma Collins which advertised a weight-loss drug and app has been banned. The star posted: "I'm starting this year two sizes down, thanks to Yazen's weight loss app and medication". It is illegal to advertise prescription-only weight loss drugs and Ms Collins' was one of nine adverts banned in a crackdown by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Ms Collins told the ASA's investigation she accepted her posts had promoted the Yazen weight-loss service and app and she would follow guidance in future. Yazen is a Swedish digital healthcare brand that offers users a doctor-supervised weight-loss programme combining prescription medications with lifestyle coaching. Ms Collins posted a video advert for the brand to her Instagram on 6 January this year. In the now-banned advert, Ms Collins describes how Yazen has helped her and stated: "I'm not telling anyone to go on this medication, but it is prescribed on the NHS." Although the advert didn't name a specific weight-loss medication, the ASA said it made references that breached its code. The ASA said it sought advice from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which expressed concern that consumers were likely to be led to request a prescription weight-loss medication. Therefore, the advert was deemed as promoting those medications to the public, breaching ASA rules. The eight other adverts banned for promoting prescription only weight-loss medications to the public were: A paid-for Meta ad for CheqUp Health, which stated "Take the first step to sustainable weight loss with CheqUp". A paid-for Meta ad for which included an image of a partially visible injection pen and code breaching text A paid-for Google search ad for Juniper UK, which stated "GLP-1 Weekly Weight Loss Injection" and featured an image of an injection pen. A paid-for Google search ad for Phlo Clinic, including text that stated, "Get 35% off Weight Loss Order Weight Loss Treatments Online". A paid-for Google ad for SemaPen, which stated "SemaPen Makes Weight Loss Easier." A paid-for Meta ad for Cloud Pharmacy featuring texts messages between two friends discussing new weight-loss medications you can order online. A paid-for Google search ad for which featured text stating "Obesity Treatment Jab" and an image of a box containing a vial of liquid. A paid-for Google search ad for Phlo Clinic, seen on 2 December 2024, which included text that stated "Weight loss Injections". The ASA has ruled that none of these adverts can appear again in their current form. Twix ad banned for encouraging unsafe driving Next ad banned as pose made model look too thin
