Changes in Hematological and Hemorheological Parameters Following Mild COVID-19: A 4-Month Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was described to affect red blood cells (RBC) in both severe and mild disease courses. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hematological and hemorheological changes that were previously described for COVID-19 patients after the acute infection state are still prominent after another 4 months to assess potential long-term effects. Methods: Hematological and RBC rheological parameters, including deformability and aggregation, were measured 41 days after infection in COVID-19 patients and non-COVID control (T0) and 4 months later in COVID-19 patients (T1). Results: The data confirm alterations in hematological parameters, mainly related to cell volume and hemoglobin concentration, but also reduced deformability and increased aggregation at T0 compared to control. While RBC deformability seems to have recovered, hemoglobin-related parameters and RBC aggregation were still impaired at T1. The changes were thus more pronounced in male COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: COVID-19-related changes of the RBC partly consist of several months and might be related to persistent symptoms reported by many COVID-19 patients.

Morphology and Function of Red Blood Cells in COVID-19 Patients: Current Overview 2023

“…Recent studies revealed that the RBC deformability from COVID-19 patients was significantly lower than that of the control group [17,42,44,45], confirming previous findings [17]. Szewczykowski et al reported that RBCs from COVID-19 patients exhibited reduced deformability, which could hinder their passage through the capillary system and reduce oxygen transportation through the body [44].…”

“…RBCs may also be the target of this increased oxidative stress. High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can damage the RBC membrane through lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation processes [40][41][42] and promote RBC senescence through calcium accumulation and phosphatidylserine exposure [40]. The subsequent loss of membrane elasticity and RBC deformability may then affect the ability of RBCs to deliver their oxygen to tissues and favor hypoxia and thrombotic events [43].…”

Assessment of Red Blood Cell Aggregation in Preeclampsia by Microfluidic Image Flow Analysis—Impact of Oxidative Stress on Disease Severity

“…A change in RBC aggregation can be an important indicator of disease as well as of the course of disease progression. Therefore, the understanding of the extent of aggregation and its effect on blood rheology is important as it can be enhanced in some pathological states and diseases including infections [27], diabetes mellitus [28], cardiovascular disease [29], hypertension [30], preeclampsia [31], and other pathologies.…”