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Publications

Journal Article Review Epublish

PubMed: 40332501 DOI: 10.3390/ijms26083850

Challenges and Opportunities for Post-COVID Pulmonary Disease: A Focused Review of Immunomodulation.

Int J Mol Sci 26(8)

Authors: Steffi Verbeeck Mendez, Isabella L Do Orozco, Guadalupe E Gavilanez-Chavez, Arnulfo HernĂ¡n Nava-Zavala, Maria G Zavala-Cerna

Affiliations

  • Facultad de Medicina, Universidad AutĂ³noma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45129, Mexico.
  • Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
  • Hospital General Regional 46, Ă“rgano de OperaciĂ³n Administrativa Desconcentrada Jalisco, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44329, Mexico.
  • Unidad de InvestigaciĂ³n EpidemiolĂ³gica y en Servicios de Salud, Centro MĂ©dico Nacional de Occidente Ă“rgano de OperaciĂ³n Administrativa Desconcentrada Jalisco, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44329, Mexico. Programa Internacional de Medicina, Universidad AutĂ³noma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45129, Mexico. Departamento de InmunologĂ­a y ReumatologĂ­a, Hospital General de Occidente, SecretarĂ­a de Salud Jalisco, Zapopan 45170, Mexico.

Abstract

The resolution of the recent COVID-19 pandemic still requires attention, since the consequences of having suffered the infection, even in mild cases, are associated with several acute and chronic pathological conditions referred to as post-COVID syndrome (PCS). PCS often manifests with pulmonary disease and, in up to 9% of cases, a more serious complication known as post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis (PC19-PF), which has a similar clinical course as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Generating knowledge to provide robust evidence about the clinical benefits of different therapeutic strategies to treat the pulmonary effects of PCS can provide new insights to amplify therapeutic options for these patients. We present evidence found after a scoping review, following extended PRIMSA guidelines, for the use of immunomodulators in pulmonary PCS. We start with a brief description of the immunomodulatory properties of the relevant drugs, their clinically proven efficacy for viral infections and chronic inflammatory conditions, and their use during the COVID-19 pandemic. We emphasize the need for well-designed clinical trials to improve our understanding the physiopathology of pulmonary PCS and PC19-PF and also to determine the efficacy and safety of candidate treatments.

MeSH

Immunomodulation, Fibrosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Coronavirus Infections, Pandemics, Therapeutics, Lung Diseases, Infections