Publication date: Jun 21, 2025
Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) has emerged as a major healthcare problem. A comprehensive mechanism of disease remains to be elucidated. In this study we aimed to explore pulmonary and muscle fibroblast activation protein (FAP) activity in former critical COVID-19 patients with persistent dyspnea, using [Ga]FAPI-46 PET/CT. In this single center prospective observational study we included former critical COVID-19 patients reporting complaints of dyspnea > 3 months after hospital discharge. A [Ga]FAPI PET/CT scan was performed including a high-resolution CT scan, lung function test, EQ-5D questionnaire, 6 min walking test and inflammatory markers. Age and sex-matched subjects, without pulmonary pathology, served as controls. The [Ga]FAPI uptake was corrected for lean body mass and the target-to-background ratio (TBR) was calculated. Eighteen PASC patients and 15 controls (median age 59 and 63 years and BMI of 34. 6 and 25. 2 kg/m) were included. The interval between hospital discharge and study visit was 30 months. Increased pulmonary FAP expression was observed in PASC, (TBR 0. 79 +/- 0. 23) compared to controls (TBR 0. 40 +/- 0. 13, P
Open Access PDF
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| 3months | Critically ill |
| Ct | FAPI PET/CT |
| Dyspnea | Long COVID |
| Healthcare | Muscles |
| Months | Respiratory |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | IDO | protein |
| disease | MESH | long COVID |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | dyspnea |
| drug | DRUGBANK | L-Phenylalanine |
| disease | MESH | abnormalities |
| disease | MESH | inflammation |
| disease | MESH | syndrome |
| disease | MESH | sequelae |
| disease | MESH | Critically ill |