Features of the State of the Collagenolysis System and risk factors of Its Changes in Patients with Long-Term Post-COVID Syndrome

Objective: to assess the state of the collagenolysis system in patients with long-term post-COVID syndrome, to determine the features and risk factors of its changes. Materials and methods. The study included 178 patients who had had a new coronavirus infection (NCVI) 12 weeks or more ago, depending on the presence or absence of symptoms of long-term post-COVID syndrome, patients who had NCVI 12 or more weeks ago were divided into 2 groups: the first group consisted of 88 patients with Long-covid symptoms; the second group consisted of 90 subjects without any symptoms of Long-covid. Results. The median period after NCVI was 8.5 [3.6; 12.4] months. In all patients who underwent NCVI, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase type 1 (TIMP1) was higher than the reference value (135 pg/ml). In the patients of the first group, TIMP1 was lower than in the second group: 315.5 [145.0; 620.0] pg/mL vs. 513.5 [220.0; 865.0] pg/mL (p < 0.001). Therefore, in long-term post-COVID syndrome, a collagenolytic pattern develops against the background of an increased risk of fibrosis. Conclusion. In patients who have undergone NCVI with a long-term post-COVID syndrome, the state of the collagenolysis system is characterized by the development of a collagenolytic pattern against the background of the prevailing processes of collagen formation in comparison with asymptomatic patients who had NCVI 12 weeks ago or more, which can be considered as a pathogenetic mechanism for the formation of “Long Covid”.

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