Dyslipidemia and inflammation as hallmarks of oxidative stress in COVID-19: A follow-up study

Aparisi, Álvaro; Martín-Fernández, Marta; Ybarra-Falcón, Cristina; Gil, José Francisco; Carrasco-Moraleja, Manuel; Martínez-Paz, Pedro; Cusácovich, Iván; Gonzalo-Benito, Hugo; Fuertes, Raúl; Marcos-Mangas, Marta; Iglesias-Echeverría, Carolina; San Román, J. Alberto; Tamayo Aguirre, Eduardo; Andaluz Ojeda, David; Tamayo-Velasco, Álvaro

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms232315350

Dyslipidemia and inflammation as hallmarks of oxidative stress in COVID-19: A follow-up study

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Aparisi Á, Martín-Fernández M, Ybarra-Falcón C, Gil JF, Carrasco-Moraleja M, Martínez-Paz P, Cusácovich I, Gonzalo-Benito H, Fuertes R, Marcos-Mangas M, Iglesias-Echeverría C, San Román JA, Tamayo E, Andaluz-Ojeda D, Tamayo-Velasco Á. Dyslipidemia and inflammation as hallmarks of oxidative stress in COVID-19: A follow-up study. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 5;23(23):15350. DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315350

Abstract

Recent works have demonstrated a significant reduction in cholesterol levels and increased oxidative stress in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The cause of this alteration is not well known. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate their possible association during the evolution of COVID-19. This is an observational prospective study. The primary endpoint was to analyze the association between lipid peroxidation, lipid, and inflammatory profiles in COVID-19 patients. A multivariate regression analysis was employed. The secondary endpoint included the long-term follow-up of lipid profiles. COVID-19 patients presented significantly lower values in their lipid profile (total, low, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) with greater oxidative stress and inflammatory response compared to the healthy controls. Lipid peroxidation was the unique oxidative parameter with a significant association with the total cholesterol (OR: 0.982; 95% CI: 0.969-0.996; p = 0.012), IL1-RA (OR: 0.999; 95% CI: 0.998-0.999; p = 0.021) IL-6 (OR: 1.062; 95% CI: 1.017-1.110; p = 0.007), IL-7 (OR: 0.653; 95% CI: 0.433-0.986; p = 0.042) and IL-17 (OR: 1.098; 95% CI: 1.010-1.193; p = 0.028). Lipid abnormalities recovered after the initial insult during long-term follow-up (IQR 514 days); however, those with high LPO levels at hospital admission had, during long-term follow-up, an atherogenic lipid profile. Our study suggests that oxidative stress in COVID-19 is associated with derangements of the lipid profile and inflammation. Survivors experienced a recovery in their lipid profiles during long-term follow-up, but those with stronger oxidative responses had an atherogenic lipid profile.