Long COVID Biomarkers: Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiles in Healthcare Workers

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling from a longitudinal cohort of 12 non-hospitalized healthcare workers with long COVID and 35 matched controls reveals 63 differentially expressed genes and 24 annotated metabolites. The study focuses on a high-risk, understudied outpatient population primarily presenting with fatigue and brain fog. Network analysis identified coordinated immune-metabolic alterations, highlighting pathways like necroptosis and serotonergic signaling.

Use Cases

• Identifying candidate diagnostic biomarkers for long COVID based on differential gene expression (e.g., S100A8, LY96) and metabolite abundance.
• Investigating longitudinal metabolic trajectories, such as the distinct pattern of oxoglutarate in cases versus controls.
• Pathway and network analysis to understand coordinated immune-metabolic dysregulation in persistent post-acute symptoms.
• Comparative analysis of biological signatures in non-hospitalized populations versus previously studied severe, hospitalized cohorts.

Strengths

• Provides integrated multi-omics data (transcriptomics and metabolomics) from a longitudinal, matched cohort design.
• Focuses on a specific, high-risk, and understudied population: non-hospitalized healthcare workers with long COVID.
• Analysis identified a specific number of features: 63 differentially expressed genes and 24 annotated metabolites.

Limitations

• The dataset's column structure is unknown, limiting immediate understanding of its tabular layout.
• The cohort size is relatively small, with 12 long COVID cases and 35 controls.
• File size metadata from different platform entries shows minor inconsistencies (e.g., 698418, 689006, 688581).

Provenance

Source

Estefanía Espín

Collection Method

Longitudinal cohort study using whole-blood RNA profiling (NanoString nCounter PanCancer Immune Panel) and serum metabolomics (untargeted UHPLC-MS).

Time Range

Longitudinal, with samples collected pre- and post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-06-04.