A scientific study announced on Tuesday by an Australian University revealed that the impact of COVID-19 can be predicted in a patient and their immunological response to infection through the effectiveness or aptitude of pulmonary cells.
The study investigated a cellular fitness marker, known as HFWE-LOSE, to identify sub-optimal cells in patients who had been hospitalized or died by Covid-19 at the beginning of the pandemic, according to a statement from the Australian Queensland University who participated in
the study.
“We discovered that patients with acute lung injuries had higher levels of the biomarker in the lower respiratory tract and in cell death areas,” said Arutha Kulasinghe, expert from the University of Queensland, who participated in this study published in the medical portal
Molecular embo medicine.
For the study, researchers performed a post-mortem analysis of lung tissues infected by Covid-19 and discovered that the cellular aptitude marker, which is part of the organism’s process to eliminate unwanted cells, influenced the immune response of a person
to the infection.
Likewise, scientists discovered that this cellular aptitude marker was more important than age, inflammation and coexisting diseases, when predicting health outcomes, such as hospitalization and death, in patients with Covid-19.
Scientists consider that results of the study, which was held next to the University of Copenhagen, could be useful in the early selection of patients who give positive in the COVID-19 test, since the cellular fitness marker could be identified by a
Simple nasal swab.
“The cellular aptitude marker would allow medical teams to identify patients more likely to develop serious symptoms, offer a narrower follow-up and earlier access to hospitalization and intensive care,” said Queensland University expert
.
