Persisting IL-18 levels after COVID-19 correlate with markers of cardiovascular inflammation reflecting potential risk of CVDs development

0013641 2025 RIV GB eng J
Andrejčinová, I. - Blažková, G. - Papatheodorou, I. - Bosáková, V. - Skotáková, M. - Panovský, R. - Opatřil, L. - Vymazal, O. - Kovačovicová, P. - Šrámek, V. - Helán, M. - Hortová Kohoutková, M. - Frič, Jan - Bendíčková, K.
Persisting IL-18 levels after COVID-19 correlate with markers of cardiovascular inflammation reflecting potential risk of CVDs development.
Heliyon. Vol. 10, no. 4 (2024), art.no. e25938. ISSN 2405-8440 on-line
Institucionální podpora: RVO:00023736
Klíčová slova: IL-18 * covid-19 * cardiovascular inflammation
Cite Score: 5.600, rok: 2022; SJR: 0.609, rok: 2022; IF: 4.000, rok: 2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25938

Anotace: COVID-19 manifestation is associated with a strong immune system activation leading to inflammation and subsequently affecting the cardiovascular system. The objective of the study was to reveal possible interconnection between prolongated inflammation and the development or exacerbation of long-term cardiovascular complications after COVID-19. We investigated correlations between humoral and cellular immune system markers together with markers of cardiovascular inflammation/dysfunction during COVID-19 onset and subsequent recovery. We analyzed 22 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 within three timepoints (acute, 1 and 6 months after COVID-19) in order to track the impact of COVID-19 on the long-term decline of the cardiovascular system fitness and eventual development of CVDs. Among the cytokines dysregulated during COVID-19 changes, we showed significant correlations of IL-18 as a key driver of several pathophysiological changes with markers of cardiovascular inflammation/dysfunction. Our findings established novel immune-related markers, which can be used for the stratification of patients at high risk of CVDs for further therapy.