Evaluation of antibody titers in COVID-19 patients with cerebral or pulmonary symptoms and mild symptoms

Nazanin Joudaki; Samireh Ghafouri; Kowsar Bavarsad; Farbod Farhadi; Marzieh Abbasi Nasab; Sara Afzalzadeh; Hamidreza Moradzadegan; Roya Salehi Kahyesh

doi:10.18502/ijm.v16i1.14881

Nazanin Joudaki Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Samireh Ghafouri Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Kowsar Bavarsad Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Farbod Farhadi Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Marzieh Abbasi Nasab Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Sara Afzalzadeh Department of Infectios Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Hamidreza Moradzadegan Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Roya Salehi Kahyesh Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v16i1.14881

Keywords: Antibodies; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; IgM; IgG

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to compare the production of antibodies in three different groups of patients with COVID-19. These groups included patients with pulmonary and cerebral symptoms, as well as those with mild symp- toms.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 80 patients admitted to COVID-19-specific hospitals. The pa- tients had various forms of SARS-CoV-2 disease, including those with pulmonary symptoms, brain involvement, and those with positive PCR test results but mild symptoms. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to determine the levels of IgM and IgG antibody titers.

Results: The levels of IgM and IgG antibody production differed significantly between groups of patients experiencing pul- monary symptoms and cerebral symptoms, with mild symptom patients also showing differences (P=0.0068), (P=0.0487), (P<0.0001), and (P=0.0120), respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between IgM antibody secre- tion and age or pulmonary involvement (P=0.1959). However, there was a direct and significant relationship between age and brain involvement (P=0.0317).

Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that the risk of central nervous system involvement increases with age and that older people have lower antibody levels than younger people. Consequently, strengthening the immune systems of peo- ple over the age of 78 during this pandemic through vaccination and nutrition is very effective in reducing mortality in this age group.