patients with fatigue and showed persistent cerebral hypometabolism on 18F-FDG PET-CT.
Evidence
This imaging analysis compared 18F-FDG PET-CT brain metabolism in 40 long COVID clinic patients with a control database and found significant hypometabolism in 29 patients with fatigue and PEM, especially in sensorimotor and visual cortex regions.
Caveat
The cohort was small, mostly female and non-Hispanic White, with many pre-existing conditions, so the findings need confirmation before PET-CT can be treated as a diagnostic biomarker.
Simplified
ObjectiveLong COVID () refers to the long-term symptoms occurring after SARS-CoV-2 infection and resolution of the initial disease prodrome. While LC is increasingly recognized, knowledge about its biomarkers is still limited. This study examines imaging findings inF-FDG PET-CT scans in 40 patients with LC from an academic LC Clinic, for potential imaging biomarkers.MethodsThis study included patients aged 18 and older with confirmed positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test and at least 28 days post-symptom onset. scans were performed, and brain metabolic activity was compared to a control database to generate Z-scores. Participants were grouped based on their clinical phenotype and Z-scores of different brain regions were analyzed using t-tests.ResultsThe study group was mainly female (70%), with a median age of 53 years, and predominantly non-Hispanic White (90%). Most had pre-existing conditions such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, endocrine, and psychiatric disorders. The findings showed significant cerebral hypometabolism in 29 patients with fatigue and (PEM), particularly in the left sensorimotor cortex (p=0.0253) and bilateral primary visual cortex (right: p=0.0096, left: p=0.0016), which persisted up to two years after infection.ConclusionsIn summary, this study identified persistent cerebral hypometabolism in LC patients, especially those with fatigue with PEM, up to two years post-infection. These results suggest thatF-FDG PET-CT could be a valuable tool for diagnosing and managing LC. Further research is essential to confirm these findings and improve treatment strategies for patients with LC. 18 18 18
Key numbers
29 of 40
Cerebral Hypometabolism Prevalence
Patients with exhibiting fatigue and .
31
Female Participants
Total participants included in the study.
53 years
Median Age
Age range of participants in the study.
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Long Covid