Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes virus-induced-senescence. There is an association between shorter telomere length (TL) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and hospitalization, severity, or even death. However, it remains unknown whether virus-induced-senescence is reversible. We aim to evaluate the dynamics of TL in COVID-19 patients 1 year after recovery from intensive care units (ICU). Longitudinal study enrolling 49 patients admitted to ICU due to COVID-19 (August 2020 to April 2021). Relative telomere length (RTL) quantification was carried out in whole blood by monochromatic multiplex real-time quantitative PCR (MMqPCR) assay at hospitalization (baseline) and 1 year after discharge (1-year visit). The association between RTL and ICU length of stay (LOS), invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), prone position, and pulmonary fibrosis development at 1-year visit was evaluated. The median age was 60 years, 71.4% were males, median ICU-LOS was 12 days, 73.5% required IMV, and 38.8% required a prone position. Patients with longer ICU-LOS or who required IMV showed greater RTL shortening during follow-up. Patients who required pronation had a greater RTL shortening during follow-up. IMV patients who developed pulmonary fibrosis showed greater RTL reduction and shorter RTL at the 1-year visit. Patients with longer ICU-LOS and those who required IMV had a shorter RTL in peripheral blood, as observed 1 year after hospital discharge. Additionally, patients who required IMV and developed pulmonary fibrosis had greater telomere shortening, showing shorter telomeres at the 1-year visit. These patients may be more prone to develop cellular senescence and lung-related complications; therefore, closer monitoring may be needed.

中文翻译：

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更长的 ICU 停留时间和有创机械通气会加速 COVID-19 患者康复 1 年后的端粒缩短


严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 会导致病毒诱导的衰老。 2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 患者的端粒长度 (TL) 较短与住院、严重程度甚至死亡之间存在关联。然而，病毒引起的衰老是否可逆仍不清楚。我们的目标是评估从重症监护病房 (ICU) 康复 1 年后，COVID-19 患者的 TL 动态。纵向研究招募了 49 名因 COVID-19 入住 ICU 的患者（2020 年 8 月至 2021 年 4 月）。在住院时（基线）和出院后 1 年（1 年就诊）通过单色多重实时定量 PCR (MMqPCR) 测定对全血进行相对端粒长度 (RTL) 定量。评估了一年就诊时 RTL 与 ICU 住院时间 (LOS)、有创机械通气 (IMV)、俯卧位和肺纤维化发展之间的关联。中位年龄为 60 岁，71.4% 为男性，中位 ICU-LOS 为 12 天，73.5% 需要 IMV，38.8% 需要俯卧位。 ICU-LOS 较长或需要 IMV 的患者在随访期间表现出更大的 RTL 缩短。需要旋前的患者在随访期间 RTL 缩短幅度更大。发生肺纤维化的 IMV 患者在 1 年就诊时表现出更大的 RTL 减少和更短的 RTL。出院 1 年后观察到，ICU-LOS 较长的患者和需要 IMV 的患者外周血 RTL 较短。此外，需要 IMV 并出现肺纤维化的患者端粒缩短程度更大，在 1 年就诊时显示端粒较短。这些患者可能更容易出现细胞衰老和肺部相关并发症；因此，可能需要更密切的监测。