Endothelial Damage, Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Platelet Activation in COVID-19 vs. Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Case–Control Study

Abstract

COVID-19 has been a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. It has marked a paradigm shift when considering other types of pneumonia etiology. We analyzed the biomarkers related to endothelial damage and immunothrombosis in COVID-19 in comparison to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) through a case–control study of 358 patients with pneumonia (179 hospitalized with COVID-19 vs. 179 matched hospitalized with CAP). Endothelial damage markers (endothelin and proadrenomedullin), neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) (citrullinated-3 histone, cell-free DNA), and platelet activation (soluble P-selectin) were measured. In-hospital and 1-year follow-up outcomes were evaluated. Endothelial damage, platelet activation, and NET biomarkers are significantly higher in CAP compared to COVID-19. In-hospital mortality in COVID-19 was higher compared to CAP whereas 1-year mortality and cardiovascular complications were higher in CAP. In the univariate analysis (OR 95% CIs), proADM and endothelin were associated with in-hospital mortality (proADM: CAP 3.210 [1.698–6.070], COVID-19 8.977 [3.413–23.609]; endothelin: CAP 1.014 [1.006–1.022], COVID-19 1.024 [1.014–1.034]), in-hospital CVE (proADM: CAP 1.623 [1.080–2.439], COVID-19 2.146 [1.186–3.882]; endothelin: CAP 1.005 [1.000–1.010], COVID-19 1.010 [1.003–1.018]), and 1-year mortality (proADM: CAP 2.590 [1.644–4.080], COVID-19 13.562 [4.872–37.751]; endothelin: CAP 1.008 [1.003–1.013], COVID-19 1.026 [1.016–1.037]). In conclusion, COVID-19 and CAP showed different expressions of endothelial damage and NETs. ProADM and endothelin are associated with short- and long-term mortality.