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Can Galectin-3 be a reliable predictive biomarker for post-COVID syndrome development?
Andrea Portacci1, Monica Amendolara1, Vitaliano Nicola Quaranta1
1Institute of Respiratory Disease, Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Medicine "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.
Respiratory Medicine
|April 14, 2024
Summary
Galectin-3 blood levels may help predict post-COVID syndrome. Measuring Galectin-3 between 60 and 120 days after infection shows potential for identifying individuals at risk of long COVID.
Area of Science:
- Biomarker Discovery
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Predictive biomarkers for post-COVID syndrome remain elusive.
- Understanding long COVID development is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Galectin-3 concentrations and post-COVID syndrome.
- To assess Galectin-3's potential as a predictive biomarker for long COVID.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study of 437 patients post-COVID.
- Measurement of blood biomarkers, including Galectin-3.
- Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and regression analyses for predictive performance.
Main Results:
- Galectin-3 was the only biomarker correlated with post-COVID syndrome development.
- A strong relationship was observed between Galectin-3 levels and time since acute COVID-19.
- Potential predictive role for Galectin-3 identified between 60–120 days post-infection.
Conclusions:
- Galectin-3 shows promise as a predictive biomarker for COVID-19 sequelae.
- Careful timing of Galectin-3 assessment is necessary to avoid misinterpretation.
