Correlation of Inflammatory Biomarkers with Neuropsychological Performance of COVID-۱۹ Survivors After ICU Discharge: ۲۰ Months Follow-up

Background: COVID-۱۹ infection may be related to development of neural damage and neural inflammation. Accumulating evidence highlighted the high prevalence of long-term mental health problems among COVID-۱۹ survivors.Aim: The present study was conducted with aim to evaluate the long-term psychosomatic effects of COVID-۱۹ and their relationship with inflammatory biomarkers among COVID-۱۹ survivors after ICU discharge.Method: This prospective study was conducted on patients discharged from the COVID-۱۹ intensive care unit (ICU) between June and August ۲۰۲۱. Depression, anxiety, health anxiety, sleep quality and cognitive abilities were assessed. Also, inflammatory biomarkers including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), ferritin and D-dimer were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version ۲۲.۰) and Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. p<۰.۰۵ was considered significant.Results: Among ۷۸ survivors, ۲۶% and ۴۵.۵% had moderate/severe degree of depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Moreover, ۲۵% of participants reported health anxiety and ۶۱.۸% poor sleep quality. The cognitive abilities had a significant inverse correlation with D-dimer level (r=-۰.۴۴, p<۰.۰۰۱). Moreover, BDI-II score was significantly correlated with ESR level (r=۰.۲۹, p<۰.۰۶). The only factor associated with BDI-II depression score was ESR levels (β=۰.۳۷, p=۰.۰۱۳). D-dimer was independently associated with cognitive abilities score (β=-۰.۴۵, p=۰.۰۰۱).Implications for Practice: Although there was a high prevalence of mental disorders among patients discharged from COVID-۱۹ ICUs even after ۲۰ months, our results do not support a dominant role for inflammatory background (during acute phase of COVID-۱۹) to explain the neuropsychological impairments long time after COVID-۱۹ infection.

کلیدواژه ها:

Inflammation ، Pandemic ، Psychological problem ، SARS-CoV-۲