SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has a reputation for being unpredictable. Patients can begin the infection with a relatively moderate set of symptoms, only to discover them quickly by climbing to new dangerous territories in the days or weeks to come. Now, scientists are rushing to study innovative ways to identify patients who may suffer the worst cases of COVID before your symptoms become severe. One such study by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that there really is a simple way to predict which hospitalized patients are at risk for serious complications or death. Using a rapid blood test that measures mitochondrial DNA, the researchers were able to identify patients who would later face the most severe cases of COVID in a group of 100 hospitalized patients. Keep reading for more information about the game-changing test and for more signs you should know, check if you have these 4 symptoms, you can have the new strain COVID.
“One of the most irritating aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the doctors’ inability to predict which newly hospitalized patients will develop serious illnesses, including complications that require the insertion of a breathing tube, kidney dialysis or other intensive care.” the study explains. While knowledge of medical history, age, and other risk factors can help to predict outcomes in a general sense, there have been many cases in which apparently “low risk” patients have suffered severe infections or death.
The answer may be linked to mitochondrial DNA, suggest the researchers. On average, the team found that mitochondrial DNA levels increased tenfold in patients with COVID-19 who developed severe lung dysfunction or died later. Those with high levels were “almost six times more likely to be intubated, three times more likely to be admitted to the ICU and almost twice more likely to die compared to those with lower levels,” says the study. “Mitochondrial DNA exiting cells into the bloodstream is a sign that a particular type of violent cell death is occurring in the body,” explain the researchers.
“There is so much that we still don’t understand about this disease,” said the study’s senior co-author, Andrew E. Gelman, PhD, professor of immunology in the Department of Surgery. “Our study suggests that tissue damage may be one of the causes of this spiral, since the mitochondrial DNA that is released is an inflammatory molecule.”
Although the preliminary results are promising, more research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm the team’s findings. With any luck, this test may someday optimize COVID screening methods in hospitals, saving countless lives.
Wondering if you are at risk for serious COVID complications? Keep reading for some surprising symptoms and signs that can predict a serious case of COVID in your future and for more news about COVID, make sure you are over 65, you should not get this new vaccine, experts warn.
There are many comorbidities that can increase your risk of severe COVID. But, in addition to those that drew national attention, such as diabetes, cancer or obesity, one went unnoticed. A study of 12 January 2021 published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research reveals that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that affects almost 25 million Americans, are at a higher risk for COVID complications. Using data from 445 patients with COVID, the researchers found that while just over 8 percent of individuals suffered from OSA, a disproportionate number of 21 percent of patients with severe COVID were determined to have the disease. And for more information on factors that you didn’t know were related to serious cases of the virus, see The CDC that just confirmed that this disease can put you at risk for severe COVID.
In a study published in a January 25 review in JAMA Internal Medicine, the researchers determined that knowing whether you smoke or not can help predict the likelihood of severe COVID. The team studied 7,102 positive COVID patients within the Cleveland Clinic’s healthcare system in Ohio and Florida, and found that patients who smoked on average one pack of cigarettes a day for 30 or more years were 2.25 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who had never smoked. And for advice on how to stay healthy, check to see if you’re doing this with your mask, the CDC says you need a new one.
In addition to pre-existing conditions and health habits, some researchers say that your blood type may also influence whether or not you develop a serious case of COVID. Scientists at the GenOMICC Consortium, a research group that studies the connections between serious diseases and genes, compared the genes of more than 2,000 patients with COVID-19 with those of healthy people, The Washington Post reports. They found that those with type A blood are more likely to become seriously ill when infected with SARS-CoV-2. And for blood types that have the opposite connection, check if you have one of these blood types, you can be protected against COVID.
Having certain genetic variants can also play a role in the evolution of your COVID case to get worse. A recent UK study of 2,200 patients with severe COVID, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that a specific variant found in the chromosome 3 region was associated with a 30 percent increased risk of severe COVID-19. As the researchers explain in their findings, “a single copy of the variant associated with the disease more than doubles the chances of an infected person developing severe COVID-19.” And for some Good COVID news, check out Dr. Fauci Finally there is some “very encouraging” news about COVID.