Assessment of physical status and analysis of lipidomic and metabolomic alterations in patients with Post-COVID-19 condition

Abstract

The development and persistence of symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC) or “long COVID,” represents a global health challenge. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we conducted a detailed assessment of the physical condition of 46 patients using handgrip dynamometry, ergoespirometry, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The results revealed a loss of muscle strength and poor exercise tolerance primarily due to peripheral muscle involvement. To complement and better understand these findings, we compared the blood metabolome and lipidome of 13 patients with PCC, 13 patients with acute COVID-19 infection, and 13 healthy controls using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR). PCC patients showed lower levels of HDL-cholesterol, as well as medium and dense HDL particles, which could contribute to a pro-atherogenic and pro-inflammatory state. Although no significant differences were observed in glycoproteins, we found decreased glucose and increased lactate levels, supporting the hypothesis of mitochondrial dysfunction in PCC patients. Additionally, elevated glycine and reduced glutamate levels may be related to the neurological symptoms associated with the condition. We also observed increased levels of glutamine, leucine, and isoleucine, indicating protein hypercatabolism and metabolic stress. These findings suggest that alterations in the metabolome and lipidome of PCC patients may be contributing to the persistence of their symptoms.