Yet another tool against COVID-19 has emerged in the form of a test that can determine how serious an individual’s after effects to the disease may be. A new study suggests it may be possible to predict who is most likely to experience follow-up disease symptoms based on their leukocyte (white blood cell) count.
Results of the study were published yesterday in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. The lead author is Ted K.S. Ng, PhD.
While the memory of the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic is fresh in many of our minds, treatment advances have helped turn the infection into a more manageable disease. But there are still some people, particularly the elderly, who may get a serious and long-lasting case of the disease.
In fact it is estimated that millions of people worldwide suffer from the ongoing effects of COVID-19 (long COVID) which can last even months after the initial diagnosis. Cognitive impairment and fatigue are the most common lingering symptoms, with cognitive impairment affecting 70% of patients. Older adults—especially women—are the most at risk.
A lot more is known about COVD-19 infection than at the start of the pandemic in 2020, but many questions remain. Although it is known to be primarily a respiratory disease, it can have sustained effects on multiple organ systems. Previous studies have also shown an excessive immune response to a COVID-19 infection.
One theory is that dysregulated inflammation causes post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC). But it has been unclear whether inflammatory markers can prospectively predict PASC risk.
This team examined the association of leukocyte count and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations, measured ~25 years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with PASC, PASC severity, and PASC-associated cognitive outcomes at follow-up among postmenopausal women. They used biomarker data from blood specimens collected during pre-pandemic enrollment (1993–1998) and data on 1,237 Women’s Health Initiative participants.
The researchers then investigated preexisting risk factors that may make certain adults—especially older postmenopausal women—more vulnerable to more serious ongoing symptoms. Specifically, they examined whether leukocyte count (a widely available clinical marker of systemic inflammation) was associated with COVID disease outcomes.
Based on the results, they concluded that leukocyte count is an independent predictor of COVID symptom severity in postmenopausal women. Additional research in this area is necessary, but the initial work is promising because leukocyte count represents an easily accessible, inexpensive clinical marker.
“As the authors highlight, post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 infection significantly affects quality of life, often leading to severe disability. This effect is particularly pronounced in women, who already experience higher rates of cognitive impairment after menopause. By understanding underlying factors, we can better address these challenges and work to mitigate the cascade of symptoms that follow,” said Monica Christmas, MD, associate medical director for The Menopause Society.