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Goswami N, Fredriksen PM, Lundin KEA, Agu C, Elias SO, Motaung KS, Brix B, Cvirn G, Sourij H, Stelzl E, Kessler HH, Saloň A, Nkeh-Chungag B. COVID-19 and its effects on endothelium in HIV-positive patients in sub-Saharan Africa: Cardiometabolic risk, thrombosis and vascular function (ENDOCOVID STUDY). BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:719. [PMID: 34332551 PMCID: PMC8325201 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06426-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has affected almost every country in the world, especially in terms of health system capacity and economic burden. People from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) often face interaction between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Role of HIV infection and anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in altered cardiovascular risk is questionable and there is still need to further carry out research in this field. However, thus far it is unclear, what impact the COVID-19 co-infection in people living with HIV (PLHIV), with or without therapy will have. The ENDOCOVID project aims to investigate whether and how HIV-infection in COVID-19 patients modulates the time course of the disease, alters cardiovascular risk, and changes vascular endothelial function and coagulation parameters/ thrombosis risk. METHODS A total of 1026 patients will be included into this study. Cardiovascular research PLHIV with (n = 114 in each of the three recruiting centers) - or without - ART (n = 114 in each of the three recruiting centers) with COVID-19 and HIV-negative with COVID-19 (n = 114 in each of the three recruiting centers) will be carried out via clinical and biochemical measurements for cardiovascular risk factors and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Vascular and endothelial function will be measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) assessments, and retinal blood vessel analyses, along with vascular endothelial biomarkers and cogualation markers. The correlation between HIV-infection in COVID-19 PLHIV with or without ART and its role in enhancement of cardiovascular risk and endothelial dysfunction will be assessed at admission, weekly, at discharge and, 4 weeks post-discharge (if possible). IMPACT OF PROJECT The ENDOCOVID project aims to evaluate in the long-term the cardiovascular risk and vascular endothelial function in PLHIV thus revealing an important transitional cardiovascular phenotype in COVID-19. The study was registered under clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04709302).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandu Goswami
- Division of Physiology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6/D.05, A-8010, Graz, Austria.
- Divison of Health Sciences, Alma Mater Europea Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia.
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Mthatha, South Africa.
| | - Per Morten Fredriksen
- School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Prinsensgate 7-9, 0152, Oslo, Norway
| | - Knut E A Lundin
- KG Jebsen Coeliac Disease Research Centre, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital- Rikshospitalet, 0372, Oslo, Norway
| | - Chidozie Agu
- Management Sciences for Health, Global Fund RSSH Project, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Simiat Olanike Elias
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Keolebogile Shirley Motaung
- Department of Technology Transfer & Innovation, Durban University of Technology, Tromso Annex, Steve Biko Campus, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Bianca Brix
- Division of Physiology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6/D.05, A-8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Gerhard Cvirn
- Physiological Chemistry Section, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Harald Sourij
- Clinical Division for Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Evelyn Stelzl
- Diagnostic & Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Harald H Kessler
- Diagnostic & Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Adam Saloň
- Division of Physiology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6/D.05, A-8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Benedicta Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Mthatha, South Africa
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