Blood biomarkers of long COVID: A cross-sectional evaluation of key cytokines and the coordination of inflammation

Introduction

Long COVID is a complex pathophysiological condition linked to a heterogenous symptom profile. Dysregulation of 1) immunological and inflammatory responses, 2) endothelial/vascular function, and 3) metabolic and clotting processes have been identified; however, there remains a lack of clinically validated diagnostic biomarkers. The study aim was to investigate dysregulation of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors in confirmed Long COVID cases grouped by disease severity.