The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19
Background: This study aims to identify predictive factors for pulmonary fibrosis development in COVID-19 patients by analyzing thorax CT (computed tomography) findings, serum prolidase activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, TGF-β values, laboratory findings, and demographic characteristics. Materials and methods:...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/954 |
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| author | Didem Dogu Zengin Dilek Ergun Burcu Yormaz Recai Ergun Halil Guven Muslu Kazim Korez Halil Ozer Ali Unlu Baykal Tulek Fikret Kanat |
| author_facet | Didem Dogu Zengin Dilek Ergun Burcu Yormaz Recai Ergun Halil Guven Muslu Kazim Korez Halil Ozer Ali Unlu Baykal Tulek Fikret Kanat |
| author_sort | Didem Dogu Zengin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: This study aims to identify predictive factors for pulmonary fibrosis development in COVID-19 patients by analyzing thorax CT (computed tomography) findings, serum prolidase activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, TGF-β values, laboratory findings, and demographic characteristics. Materials and methods: The investigation involved 68 patients, both male and female, aged 18 years and older, who were volunteers and had been diagnosed with confirmed COVID-19. The pulmonologist and the radiologist evaluated the thorax CT by consensus. Patients were evaluated in two categories, group 1 and group 2, based on the status of fibrotic changes, and 3-month fibrosis scores were calculated. Findings in both lungs were calculated and noted for the lobes, considering lobar spread. Correlations between quantitative parameters were assessed with Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient. Comparisons between independent samples were evaluated using either the independent sample <i>t</i>-test or the Mann–Whitney U test. We evaluated the relationship between categorical variables using the Pearson chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Results: Serum prolidase activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β biomarkers were not statistically significant among groups. LDH was found to be significantly high in the group with fibrotic changes. Additionally, the group with fibrotic changes also had higher levels of fibrinogen. The percentage of neutrophils, the severity of the disease, muscle–joint pain and fatigue symptoms, and the length of hospitalization stay were correlated with the total scores of fibrosis at the third month. In the group with fibrotic changes, the duration of muscle–joint pain and fatigue symptoms and the length of hospitalization were longer than in the other group. Conclusions: The group with fibrotic changes showed an increase in biomarkers. However, this increase did not reach a statistically significant level, suggesting that the third month may be an early period for these changes. The group with fibrotic changes showed high levels of LDH, one of the most important laboratory parameters of pulmonary fibrosis risk factors, along with fibrinogen, suggesting that these parameters are valuable in predicting pulmonary fibrosis. Patients with fibrotic changes can experience specific symptoms, commonly seen in COVID-19. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-92bfd818e0474ab1aa080fc3573aad45 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-92bfd818e0474ab1aa080fc3573aad452025-08-20T03:14:00ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-07-0117795410.3390/v17070954The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19Didem Dogu Zengin0Dilek Ergun1Burcu Yormaz2Recai Ergun3Halil Guven4Muslu Kazim Korez5Halil Ozer6Ali Unlu7Baykal Tulek8Fikret Kanat9Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Konya City Hospital, Konya 42020, TurkeyDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Biochemistry, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Biostatistics, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Radiology, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Biochemistry, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya 42250, TurkeyBackground: This study aims to identify predictive factors for pulmonary fibrosis development in COVID-19 patients by analyzing thorax CT (computed tomography) findings, serum prolidase activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, TGF-β values, laboratory findings, and demographic characteristics. Materials and methods: The investigation involved 68 patients, both male and female, aged 18 years and older, who were volunteers and had been diagnosed with confirmed COVID-19. The pulmonologist and the radiologist evaluated the thorax CT by consensus. Patients were evaluated in two categories, group 1 and group 2, based on the status of fibrotic changes, and 3-month fibrosis scores were calculated. Findings in both lungs were calculated and noted for the lobes, considering lobar spread. Correlations between quantitative parameters were assessed with Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient. Comparisons between independent samples were evaluated using either the independent sample <i>t</i>-test or the Mann–Whitney U test. We evaluated the relationship between categorical variables using the Pearson chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Results: Serum prolidase activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β biomarkers were not statistically significant among groups. LDH was found to be significantly high in the group with fibrotic changes. Additionally, the group with fibrotic changes also had higher levels of fibrinogen. The percentage of neutrophils, the severity of the disease, muscle–joint pain and fatigue symptoms, and the length of hospitalization stay were correlated with the total scores of fibrosis at the third month. In the group with fibrotic changes, the duration of muscle–joint pain and fatigue symptoms and the length of hospitalization were longer than in the other group. Conclusions: The group with fibrotic changes showed an increase in biomarkers. However, this increase did not reach a statistically significant level, suggesting that the third month may be an early period for these changes. The group with fibrotic changes showed high levels of LDH, one of the most important laboratory parameters of pulmonary fibrosis risk factors, along with fibrinogen, suggesting that these parameters are valuable in predicting pulmonary fibrosis. Patients with fibrotic changes can experience specific symptoms, commonly seen in COVID-19.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/954post-COVID-19serum prolidase activityMMP-1MMP-7TGF-βLDH |
| spellingShingle | Didem Dogu Zengin Dilek Ergun Burcu Yormaz Recai Ergun Halil Guven Muslu Kazim Korez Halil Ozer Ali Unlu Baykal Tulek Fikret Kanat The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 Viruses post-COVID-19 serum prolidase activity MMP-1 MMP-7 TGF-β LDH |
| title | The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 |
| title_full | The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 |
| title_short | The Role of Serum Prolidase Activity, MMP-1, MMP-7, and TGF-β Values in the Prediction of Early Fibrosis in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 |
| title_sort | role of serum prolidase activity mmp 1 mmp 7 and tgf β values in the prediction of early fibrosis in patients with moderate to severe covid 19 |
| topic | post-COVID-19 serum prolidase activity MMP-1 MMP-7 TGF-β LDH |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/954 |
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