POST-COVID EFFECTS AND IMMUNOLOGICAL MARKERS OF AGING

The coronavirus disease has challenged the global medical community. Its progression led to severe health and life consequences, resulting in prolonged complications following the onset of the acute phase of the disease. The immune system was the first to respond to the viral infection entering the body. Pulmonary, neurological, psychiatric, and cardiovascular disorders became the initial stage in the pathological process. Elderly patients commonly experience chronic pain and inflammation as the main complaints associated with the development of this infectious disease; it is a daily struggle for them. Unfortunately, mental disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, myalgias, and arthralgias cause severe changes in the daily lives of senior people. Evaluating the ability of immune-competent cells, which are the main cells of the immune system, has become an essential source of information for doctors. T-lymphocytes are responsible for cellular immune responses and immunologically monitor the antigenic homeostasis in the body. Patients with COVID-19 displayed fewer T cells than the control group, and the decrease in T cells was more significant than in B cells and NK cells. Lymphopenia in COVID-19 patients may suggest the hyperactivation and migration of lymphocytes in the lungs and the apoptosis and suppression of T lymphocytes. Studies have indicated that COVID-19 is linked to an intensified inflammatory response, leading to a “cytokine storm” that may result in multisystem severe organ damage. Cytokine dysregulation is vital in weakening the immune system in older age. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines mark aging, reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines, and decreased T-cell-mediated function. Older people are also at high risk for viral illnesses, including COVID-19, as well as mental health disorders like cognitive impairments and PTSD. The findings suggest that alterations in the examined biomarkers associated with disease severity can be utilized to monitor the seriousness of the disease and forecast the duration of rehabilitation. Artificial intelligence made it possible to process and analyze data from the studies of patients with COVID-19 to predict accelerated aging.