Acute blood biomarker profiles predict cognitive deficits 6 and 12 months after COVID-19 hospitalization

Maxime Taquet (Lead / Corresponding author), Zuzanna Skorniewska, Adam Hampshire, James D. Chalmers, Ling Pei Ho, Alex Horsley, Michael Marks, Krisnah Poinasamy, Betty Raman, Olivia C. Leavy, Matthew Richardson, Omer Elneima, Hamish J.C. McAuley, Aarti Shikotra, Amisha Singapuri, Marco Sereno, Ruth M. Saunders, Victoria C Harris, Linzy Houchen-Wolloff, Neil J. GreeningParisa Mansoori, Ewen M. Harrison, Annemarie B. Docherty, Nazir I. Lone, Jennifer Quint, Naveed Sattar, Christopher E. Brightling, Louise V. Wain, Rachael E. Evans, John R. Geddes, Paul J. Harrison (Lead / Corresponding author), PHOSP-COVID Collaborative Group

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    43 Citations (Scopus)
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    Abstract

    Post-COVID cognitive deficits, including ‘brain fog’, are clinically complex, with both objective and subjective components. They are common and debilitating, and can affect the ability to work, yet their biological underpinnings remain unknown. In this prospective cohort study of 1,837 adults hospitalized with COVID-19, we identified two distinct biomarker profiles measured during the acute admission, which predict cognitive outcomes 6 and 12 months after COVID-19. A first profile links elevated fibrinogen relative to C-reactive protein with both objective and subjective cognitive deficits. A second profile links elevated D-dimer relative to C-reactive protein with subjective cognitive deficits and occupational impact. This second profile was mediated by fatigue and shortness of breath. Neither profile was significantly mediated by depression or anxiety. Results were robust across secondary analyses. They were replicated, and their specificity to COVID-19 tested, in a large-scale electronic health records dataset. These findings provide insights into the heterogeneous biology of post-COVID cognitive deficits.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2498-2508
    Number of pages11
    JournalNature Medicine
    Volume29
    Issue number10
    Early online date31 Aug 2023
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Oct 2023

    Keywords

    • Neurological manifestations
    • Viral infection

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology

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