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Updated: Dec 11, 2025
Monitoring Changes in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells upon Viral Infection Using Impedance-Based Real-Time Cell Analysis
Published on: May 5, 2023
Circulating Endothelial Cells as a Marker of Endothelial Injury in Severe COVID -19
Christophe Guervilly1,2, Stephane Burtey3,4, Florence Sabatier4,5,6
1Medical Intensive Care Unit, North Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Insights
Severe COVID-19 is linked to increased circulating endothelial cells (CECs), indicating significant vascular and endothelial injury. This finding highlights endothelial damage as a critical aspect of severe coronavirus disease 2019.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Biology
- Infectious Diseases
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) commonly presents with pulmonary symptoms.
- However, significant vascular events have been increasingly reported in COVID-19 patients.
- The role of endothelial cells in severe COVID-19 requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and severe forms of COVID-19.
- To determine if elevated CEC levels correlate with disease severity markers.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study including 99 patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Comparison of CEC counts between intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients.
- Correlation analysis between CEC levels and markers of disease severity and inflammation.
Main Results:
- Patients in the ICU exhibited significantly higher CEC counts compared to non-ICU patients.
- The extent of endothelial injury, indicated by CEC levels, correlated with markers of disease severity.
- Elevated CEC counts were associated with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines.
Conclusions:
- Endothelial injury is a significant and demonstrable feature of severe COVID-19.
- Increased circulating endothelial cells serve as a biomarker for endothelial damage in COVID-19.
- These findings underscore the importance of vascular complications in COVID-19 pathogenesis.
Abstract:
Beside the commonly described pulmonary expression of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), major vascular events have been reported. The objective of this study was to investigate whether increased levels of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) might be associated with severe forms of COVID-19. Ninety-nine patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients in the intensive care units (ICU) had significantly higher CEC counts than non-ICU patients and the extent of endothelial injury was correlated with putative markers of disease severity and inflammatory cytokines. Together, these data provide in vivo evidence that endothelial injury is a key feature of COVID-19.
