https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7345451/
Markus Ameres, Susanne Brandstetter, Antoaneta A. Toncheva, Michael Kabesch, David Leppert, Jens Kuhle, Sven Wellmann
Germany and Switzerland
(doesn't have an abstract)
Markus Ameres, Susanne Brandstetter, Antoaneta A. Toncheva, Michael Kabesch, David Leppert, Jens Kuhle, Sven Wellmann
Germany and Switzerland
(doesn't have an abstract)
Even though the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects primarily the respiratory system some reports describe nervous system involvement as well [1–3]. Headache and anosmia have been frequently described as neurological symptoms of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 but a direct impact of COVID-19 on neuronal integrity has not been clarified yet [4]. Therefore, a neuronal biomarker would be extremely useful to elucidate neuro-axonal injury during an infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and in the post-infection follow-up period. Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) has recently been considered as a specific biomarker to quantitate neuro-axonal damage in several disorders of the peripheral and central nervous system [5]. Hence, sNfL might also serve as a sensitive screening and follow-up marker for neuronal injury in COVID-19 patients.
We conducted a prospective cohort study in 100 healthcare workers (84 females, 16 males) following a COVID-19 outbreak in a major German children's and women's hospital [6]. The Ethics Committee of the University of Regensburg approved the study (file-number: 20-1767-101), and written informed consent was obtained from all study participants. They were categorized according to their SARS-CoV-2 infection status, n = 28 tested positive, n = 72 negative in PCR-based viral RNA amplification from nasopharyngeal swabs (Xpert© Xpress SARS-CoV-2, Cepheid) [5]. To preserve anonymity of study participants, age was assessed in three categories (18–35 years n = 33, 36–50 years n = 37 and 51–65 years n = 30) [7]. sNfL concentrations were measured using the single molecule array (Simoa) NF-light® kit on the HD-X Analyzer (Quanterix, Lexington, MA) [5]. First, descriptive statistics were calculated. Then, a multivariable linear regression model was fitted with sNfL as dependent variable and with sex, age and COVID-19 status as independent variables.
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Our results from a study in health care workers without known co-morbidities indicate that mild-to-moderate COVID-19 is associated with increased sNfL levels. Neurologic symptoms and complications in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported by the first available studies during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic [1, 2]. However, these studies are restricted to hospitalized patients and, therefore, represent a population more likely to have severe neurological manifestations for a variety of reasons. Our results indicate for the first time that COVID-19 may affect the neuro-axonal integrity also in adults with a mild-to-moderate course of the disease. This new evidence for a more general neuro-destructive capability of SARS-CoV-2 also in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients should raise awareness for potential long-term neurologic sequelae following COVID-19.
We conducted a prospective cohort study in 100 healthcare workers (84 females, 16 males) following a COVID-19 outbreak in a major German children's and women's hospital [6]. The Ethics Committee of the University of Regensburg approved the study (file-number: 20-1767-101), and written informed consent was obtained from all study participants. They were categorized according to their SARS-CoV-2 infection status, n = 28 tested positive, n = 72 negative in PCR-based viral RNA amplification from nasopharyngeal swabs (Xpert© Xpress SARS-CoV-2, Cepheid) [5]. To preserve anonymity of study participants, age was assessed in three categories (18–35 years n = 33, 36–50 years n = 37 and 51–65 years n = 30) [7]. sNfL concentrations were measured using the single molecule array (Simoa) NF-light® kit on the HD-X Analyzer (Quanterix, Lexington, MA) [5]. First, descriptive statistics were calculated. Then, a multivariable linear regression model was fitted with sNfL as dependent variable and with sex, age and COVID-19 status as independent variables.
....
Our results from a study in health care workers without known co-morbidities indicate that mild-to-moderate COVID-19 is associated with increased sNfL levels. Neurologic symptoms and complications in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported by the first available studies during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic [1, 2]. However, these studies are restricted to hospitalized patients and, therefore, represent a population more likely to have severe neurological manifestations for a variety of reasons. Our results indicate for the first time that COVID-19 may affect the neuro-axonal integrity also in adults with a mild-to-moderate course of the disease. This new evidence for a more general neuro-destructive capability of SARS-CoV-2 also in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients should raise awareness for potential long-term neurologic sequelae following COVID-19.
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