Temporal changes in complement activation in haemodialysis patients with COVID-19 as a predictor of disease progression
M Prendecki, C Clarke, N Medjeral-Thomas… - Clinical Kidney …, 2020 - academic.oup.com
Clinical Kidney Journal, 2020•academic.oup.com
Background Complement activation may play a pathogenic role in patients with severe
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by contributing to tissue inflammation and
microvascular thrombosis. Methods Serial samples were collected from patients receiving
maintenance haemodialysis (HD). Thirty-nine patients had confirmed COVID-19 and 10
patients had no evidence of COVID-19. Plasma C5a and C3a levels were measured using
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results We identified elevated levels of plasma C3a …
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by contributing to tissue inflammation and
microvascular thrombosis. Methods Serial samples were collected from patients receiving
maintenance haemodialysis (HD). Thirty-nine patients had confirmed COVID-19 and 10
patients had no evidence of COVID-19. Plasma C5a and C3a levels were measured using
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results We identified elevated levels of plasma C3a …
Background
Complement activation may play a pathogenic role in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by contributing to tissue inflammation and microvascular thrombosis.
Methods
Serial samples were collected from patients receiving maintenance haemodialysis (HD). Thirty-nine patients had confirmed COVID-19 and 10 patients had no evidence of COVID-19. Plasma C5a and C3a levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results
We identified elevated levels of plasma C3a and C5a in HD patients with severe COVID-19 compared with controls. Serial sampling identified that C5a levels were elevated prior to clinical deterioration in patients who developed severe disease. C3a more closely mirrored both clinical and biochemical disease severity.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that activation of complement plays a role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, leading to endothelial injury and lung damage. C5a may be an earlier biomarker of disease severity than conventional parameters such as C-reactive protein and this warrants further investigation in dedicated biomarker studies. Our data support the testing of complement inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for patients with severe COVID-19.
Oxford University Press