Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a recently discovered pathogen responsible of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The immunological changes associated with this infection are largely unknown. Methods We evaluated the peripheral blood mononuclear cells profile of 63 patients with COVID-19 at diagnosis. We also assessed the presence of association with inflammatory biomarkers and the 28-day mortality. Results Lymphocytopenia was present in 51 of 63 (80.9%) patients, with a median value of 720 lymphocytes/µl (IQR 520-1,135). This reduction was mirrored also on CD8+ (128 cells/µl, IQR 55-215), natural killer (67 cells/µl, IQR 35–158) and natural killer T (31 cells/µl, IQR 11–78) cells. Monocytes were preserved in total number but displayed among them a subpopulation with a higher forward and side scatter properties, composed mainly of cells with a reduced expression of both CD14 and HLA-DR. Patients who died in the 28 days from admission (N=10, 15.9%), when compared to those who did not, displayed lower mean values of CD3+ (337.4 cells/µl vs 585.9 cells/µl; p=0.028) and CD4+ cells (232.2 cells/µl vs 381.1 cells/µl; p=0.042) and an higher percentage of CD8+/CD38+/HLA-DR+ lymphocytes (13.5% vs 7.6%; p=0.026). Discussion The early phases of COVID-19 are characterized by lymphocytopenia, predominance of Th2-like lymphocytes and monocytes with altered immune profile, which include atypical mononuclear cells.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Monocytes, SARS-CoV-2, Inflammation, immune profiling, Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, coronavirus, Infection, 28-day mortality, Diagnosis, Immune profile, monocyte, Peripheral blood, lymphocyte, pathogen, cells, lymphocytopenia, expression, Admission, patients, HLA-DR, association, Inflammatory biomarker, Atypical, mononuclear cells, mononuclear cell, reduction, natural killer, acute respiratory syndrome, early phase, mean value, CD14, median value, CD8+, subpopulation, CD3+, CD4+ cell, Cell, Result, responsible, died, include, composed, evaluated, reduced, characterized, immunological change, IQR, patients with COVID-19, preserved, side scatter, 【제목키워드】 Population, phase, Presence,