Publication date: Jul 10, 2025
Survivors of severe COVID-19 often suffer from long-term respiratory issues, but the molecular drivers of this damage remain unclear. This study explored the dynamics of inflammatory, fibrotic, and endothelial biomarkers in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Plasma levels of MMP2, MMP7, MMP9, KL-6, IL-6, TNF-α, angiopoietin-2, thrombomodulin, and hyaluronan were measured in 73 hospitalized COVID-19 patients during admission and, in a subset, at follow-up. Pulmonary function tests were performed at follow-up. The majority of patients (82. 2%) had severe COVID-19; 14 (19. 2%) died within 90 days. During acute illness, IL-6, angiopoietin-2, and hyaluronan levels were significantly elevated compared to healthy controls. Follow-up data from 18 patients showed persistent symptoms such as dyspnea and fatigue. MMP2 and MMP7 levels increased at follow-up, while hyaluronan decreased. Angiopoietin-2 remained elevated and was negatively correlated with forced vital capacity (r = - 0. 76, p
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Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Hyaluronic acid |
| disease | MESH | dyspnea |
| disease | MESH | Long Covid |
| disease | MESH | Fibrosis |
| disease | MESH | Inflammation |
| disease | MESH | Pulmonary fibrosis |