Journal: ERJ Open Research
Article Title: Respiratory burden in post-acute COVID-19 sequelae: a longitudinal study of airway and systemic inflammation and clinical outcomes
doi: 10.1183/23120541.01331-2024
Figure Lengend Snippet: Cross-sectional analysis of sputum cytology in the four clusters identified by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) at visit 1. SGRQ clusters are characterised based on a) sputum cell differential count, b) inflammatory markers and c) antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). Significance of difference (p<0.05) between clusters was determined using multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and between individual clusters and no post-acute coronavirus disease 2019 sequalae (NoPACS) using a Mann–Whitney U-test, without covariate adjustment. Dotted lines indicate cut-off >9.7 million cells·g −1 of sputum for indication of ongoing infection. ▴ (in aqua): Participant with pulmonary fibrosis. ANA comparison was based on continuous mean quantitative values. PACS: post-acute COVID-19 sequalae; IL: interleukin; TNF: tumour necrosis factor; eos: eosinophils; MQV: mean quantitative value.
Article Snippet: ANAs were assessed utilising ANA line immunoassays (IMTEC-ANA-LIA-MAXX, Human Diagnostics, Germany) as previously described in serum [ ] and sputa [ ].
Techniques: MANN-WHITNEY, Infection, Comparison