Plasma mediators in patients with severe COVID-19 cause lung endothelial barrier failure. Issue 3 (11th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Michalick, Laura; Weidenfeld, Sarah; Grimmer, Benjamin; Fatykhova, Diana; Solymosi, Philip Daniel; Behrens, Felix; Dohmen, Melanie; Brack, Markus C.; Schulz, Sabrina; Thomasch, Elisa; Simmons, Szandor; Müller-Redetzky, Holger; Suttorp, Norbert; Kurth, Florian; Neudecker, Jens; Toennies, Mario; Bauer, Torsten T.; Eggeling, Stephan; Corman, Victor Max; Hocke, Andreas C.; Witzenrath, Martin; Hippenstiel, Stefan; Kuebler, Wolfgang M.
• Is Part Of: European respiratory journal. Volume 57:Issue 3(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03-11
• Subjects: Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02384-2020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0903-1936

Abstract

Approximately 20% of symptomatic patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection progress to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with critical hypoxaemia fulfilling the criteria of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Consistent with the classic features of ARDS, severe COVID-19 is characterised by ground glass opacities on computed tomography imaging and diffuse alveolar damage post mortem [1], suggesting permeability-type lung oedema as driver of respiratory failure. Consistent with this concept, autopsy findings show severe lung endothelial injury in patients who succumbed to COVID-19 [2]. The plasma of COVID-19 patients induces pulmonary microvascular barrier failure, which increases with disease severity. Here, a screening platform to test for plasma mediators and the therapeutic potential of barrier stabilising compounds is reported. https://bit.ly/3k4C0tB