Objectives The immunological and inflammatory changes following acute COVID-19 are hugely variable. Persistent clinical symptoms following resolution of initial infection, termed long COVID , are also hugely variable, but association with immunological changes has not been described. We investigate changing immunological parameters in convalescent COVID-19 and interrogate their potential relationships with persistent symptoms. Methods We performed paired immunophenotyping at initial SARS-CoV-2 infection and convalescence (n=40, median 68 days) and validated findings in 71 further patients at median 101 days convalescence. Results were compared to 40 pre-pandemic controls. Fatigue and exercise tolerance were assessed as cardinal features of long COVID using the Chalder Fatigue Scale and 6-minute-walk test. The relationships between these clinical outcomes and convalescent immunological results were investigated. Results We identify persistent expansion of intermediate monocytes, effector CD8+, activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and reduced naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells at 68 days, with activated CD8+ T cells remaining increased at 101 days. Patients >60 years also demonstrate reduced naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and expanded activated CD4+ T cells at 101 days. Ill-health, fatigue, and reduced exercise tolerance were common in this cohort. These symptoms were not associated with immune cell populations or circulating inflammatory cytokines. Conclusion We demonstrate myeloid recovery but persistent T cell abnormalities in convalescent COVID-19 patients more than three months after initial infection. These changes are more marked with age and are independent of ongoing subjective ill-health, fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, fatigue, T cells, Ageing, Immunophenotyping, immune recovery, 【초록키워드】 Monocytes, Tolerance, SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, CD8+ T cells, Symptom, Symptoms, Clinical outcome, COVID, Cohort, T cell, Patient, age, Inflammatory cytokines, persistent, convalescent, change, CD8+ T cell, CD4+ T cell, association, clinical symptom, naïve, CD4+, circulating, acute COVID-19, abnormality, CD8+, objective, immunological, controls, feature, independent, initial, Result, described, identify, performed, investigated, reduced, median, activated, Chalder Fatigue Scale, convalescent COVID-19 patient, immune cell population, immunological change, immunological parameter, inflammatory change, were assessed, 【제목키워드】 longitudinal, change, independent of, show,