Carotid body dysregulation contributes to Long COVID symptoms

El-Medany, Ahmed; Adams, Zoe H.; Blythe, Hazel C.; Hope, Katrina A.; Kendrick, Adrian H.; Abdala Sheikh, Ana Paula; Paton, Julian F. R.; Nightingale, Angus K.; Hart, Emma C.

Abstract

Patients with long COVID suffer from breathlessness during exercise, leading to exercise intolerance. We know that SARSCoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect carotid bodies which is a small sensory organ that sends signals to the brain for regulating breathing and blood pressure. This is called the carotid chemoreflex. However, it
is not clear if SARS-CoV-2 infection affects carotid chemoreflex. Here, we examine whether the normal functioning of carotid chemoreflex is disrupted in non-hospitalised patients with long COVID and if this is linked to excessive breathing during exercise. Our study shows that carotid chemoreflex is more sensitive in long COVID patients, who are
otherwise healthy. The carotid bodies could be a good therapeutic target for treating breathlessness in patients with long COVID.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 31, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Publication Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 13, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 13, 2024
• Journal: Communications Medicine
• Print ISSN: 2730-664X
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 20
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-024-00447-5
• Keywords: General Medicine
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11796125
• Additional Information: Received: 1 August 2023; Accepted: 31 January 2024; First Online: 19 February 2024; : The authors declare no competing interests.