The investigators will collect plasma and PBMCs from consenting subjects. The investigators will evaluate the expression of miRNAs, lncRNAs and cytokines in patients affected by LONG COVID admitted to IRCCS Policlinico San Donato during the acute phase of COVID-19. In particular, miRNAs will be evaluated in plasma samples while lncRNAs in PBMC samples to clarify their potential as biomarkers.
This observational prospective study is aimed to investigate noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as potential peripheral blood biomarkers of severity and poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Patients with intermittent or permanent symptoms after COVID-19 at the moment of the recruitment were considered affected by LONG COVID disease. In particular, the aim is to clarify if COVID-19 biomarkers remain deregulated similarly in LONG COVID patients. To this purpose, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) will be collected and patients will be compared to individuals who have never been affected by COVID-19 or asymptomatic LONG COVID patients.