Table 1:
Participant characteristics, metabolite concentrations, and tissue composition.
| Control (n=24) | PASC (n=29) | p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 44.3 ± 12.5 | 42.4 ± 12.3 | 0.57a |
| Sex (male/femalee) | 10/14 | 10/19 | 0.80b |
| Race (white/non-white) | 9/15 | 19/10 | 0.08b |
| Index of social position | 27.8 ± 13.6 | 30.4 ± 14.1 | 0.50a |
| Body mass index (lb/in2) | 27.6 ± 6.7 | 30.7 ± 8.0 | 0.13a |
| Education level | |||
| ≤ High School/College/Graduate | 2/10/12 | 5/16/8 | 0.22b |
| COVID-19 history | |||
| Days since diagnosis | – | 219.3 ± 136.7 | – |
| # Hospitalized/# not hospitalized | – | 9/20 | – |
| # With Co-morbid conditions prior to COVID-19 | |||
| Hypertension/diabetes | 1/0 | 6/4 | 0.11c/0.12c |
| Depression/anxiety | 2/2 | 5/5 | 0.44c/0.44c |
| Overweight/obese | 6/7 | 9/14 | 0.68b |
| Past month tobacco/alcohol/marijuanaf | 1/20/1 | 1/23/4 | 1c/0.98c/0.36c |
| Neuropsychiatric symptoms (n, %) | |||
| Concentration/memory | – | 26 (90%)/22 (76%) | – |
| Fatigue | – | 25 (86%) | – |
| Depression and/or anxiety | – | 20 (69%) | – |
| Insomnia/confusion | – | 17 (59%)/20 (69%) | – |
| Myalgia | – | 19 (66%) | – |
| Headaches/dizziness | – | 17 (59%)/14 (48%) | – |
| Hyposmia/dysgeusia | – | 17 (59%)/15 (52%) | – |
| Metabolite concentrations (i.u.) | |||
| Frontal GM GSH | 1.67 ± 0.36 | 1.45 ± 0.32 | 0.015 d |
| Frontal WM GSH | 1.41 ± 0.38 | 1.58 ± 0.48 | 0.142d |
| Frontal GM GABA | 3.24 ± 0.65 | 3.38 ± 0.84 | 0.499d |
| Men | 2.88 ± 0.58 | 3.08 ± 0.87 | 0.556a |
| Women | 3.47 ± 0.59 | 3.54 ± 0.81 | 0.785a |
| Frontal WM GABA | 3.05 ± 0.37 | 3.13 ± 0.48 | 0.634d |
| Men | 3.14 ± 0.31 | 2.98 ± 0.53 | 0.429a |
| Women | 2.99 ± 0.40 | 3.21 ± 0.44 | 0.151a |
| Frontal GM tissue composition (%) | |||
| GM | 53.9 ± 1.0 | 55.2 ± 0.8 | 0.29a |
| WM | 32.6 ± 1.1 | 30.3 ± 1.1 | 0.15a |
| Frontal WM tissue composition (%) | |||
| GM | 26.0 ± 0.8 | 25.8 ± 0.6 | 0.87a |
| WM | 71.2 ± 1.1 | 71.6 ± 0.7 | 0.81a |
Data are presented as Mean ± SD or n or %. at-test (parametric or non-parametric), bChi-Square test, cFisher’s Exact Test, dANCOVA; PASC=participants with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19; GM=Grey Matter; WM= White Matter; i.u.: institutional units; GSH: glutathione; GABA: γ-aminobutyric acid. eAmong 33 women, four did not reveal their day-of-cycle information, 11 were in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (day one to 15), and 18 were in the non-follicular phase of the cycle. Women in the non-follicular phase included 6 in the luteal phase (day 16–45), three were on contraceptives and did not have a normal menstrual cycle, 4 had hysterectomy/oophorectomy, and 5 were postmenopausal. fIncludes 2 PASC who used cannabidiol. All had negative urine toxicology screenings.