Blood fibrocytes are associated with severity and prognosis in COVID-19 pneumonia.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
; 321(5): L847-L858, 2021 11 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1403121
ABSTRACT
Increased blood fibrocytes are associated with a poor prognosis in fibrotic lung diseases. We aimed to determine whether the percentage of circulating fibrocytes could be predictive of severity and prognosis during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Blood fibrocytes were quantified by flow cytometry as CD45+/CD15-/CD34+/collagen-1+ cells in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia. In a subgroup of patients admitted in an intensive care unit (ICU), fibrocytes were quantified in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Serum amyloid P (SAP), transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), CXCL12, CCL2, and FGF2 concentrations were measured. We included 57 patients in the hospitalized group (median age = 59 yr [23-87]) and 16 individuals as healthy controls. The median percentage of circulating fibrocytes was higher in the patients compared with the controls (3.6% [0.2-9.2] vs. 2.1% [0.9-5.1], P = 0.04). Blood fibrocyte count was lower in the six patients who died compared with the survivors (1.6% [0.2-4.4] vs. 3.7% [0.6-9.2], P = 0.02). Initial fibrocyte count was higher in patients showing a complete lung computed tomography (CT) resolution at 3 mo. Circulating fibrocyte count was decreased in the ICU group (0.8% [0.1-2.0]), whereas BAL fibrocyte count was 6.7% (2.2-15.4). Serum SAP and TGF-ß1 concentrations were increased in hospitalized patients. SAP was also increased in ICU patients. CXCL12 and CCL2 were increased in ICU patients and negatively correlated with circulating fibrocyte count. We conclude that circulating fibrocytes were increased in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, and a lower fibrocyte count was associated with an increased risk of death and a slower resolution of lung CT opacities.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Blood Cells
/
Serum Amyloid A Protein
/
Antigens, CD
/
Cytokines
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
Journal subject:
Molecular Biology
/
Physiology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ajplung.00105.2021
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