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Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is Associated With Elevated Serum Immunoglobulin (Ig) A and Antiphospholipid IgA Antibodies.
- Source :
- Clinical Infectious Diseases; 11/1/2021, Vol. 73 Issue 9, pe2869-e2874, 6p
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Background Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) frequently entails complications that bear similarities to autoimmune diseases. To date, there are little data on possible immunoglobulin (Ig) A–mediated autoimmune responses. Here, we aim to determine whether COVID-19 is associated with a vigorous total IgA response and whether IgA antibodies are associated with complications of severe illness. Since thrombotic events are frequent in severe COVID-19 and resemble hypercoagulation of antiphospholipid syndrome, our approach focused on antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Methods In this retrospective cohort study, clinical data and aPL from 64 patients with COVID-19 were compared from 3 independent tertiary hospitals (1 in Liechtenstein, 2 in Switzerland). Samples were collected from 9 April to 1 May 2020. Results Clinical records of 64 patients with COVID-19 were reviewed and divided into a cohort with mild illness (mCOVID; 41%), a discovery cohort with severe illness (sdCOVID; 22%) and a confirmation cohort with severe illness (scCOVID; 38%). Total IgA, IgG, and aPL were measured with clinical diagnostic kits. Severe illness was significantly associated with increased total IgA (sdCOVID, P =.01; scCOVID, P <.001), but not total IgG. Among aPL, both cohorts with severe illness significantly correlated with elevated anticardiolipin IgA (sdCOVID and scCOVID, P <.001), anticardiolipin IgM (sdCOVID, P =.003; scCOVID, P <.001), and anti–beta 2 glycoprotein-1 IgA (sdCOVID and scCOVID, P <.001). Systemic lupus erythematosus was excluded from all patients as a potential confounder. Conclusions Higher total IgA and IgA-aPL were consistently associated with severe illness. These novel data strongly suggest that a vigorous antiviral IgA response, possibly triggered in the bronchial mucosa, induces systemic autoimmunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- AUTOANTIBODIES
DIAGNOSTIC reagents & test kits
RESPIRATORY mucosa
COVID-19
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID syndrome
RETROSPECTIVE studies
TERTIARY care
COMPARATIVE studies
SEVERITY of illness index
MEDICAL records
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
STATISTICAL correlation
VIRAL antibodies
DATA analysis software
LONGITUDINAL method
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10584838
- Volume :
- 73
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Clinical Infectious Diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 153439905
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1496