How can you tell the difference when so many things are similar?

Two patients of, same age, same gender, same health conditions can have two different outcomes, especially with COVID-19. What tests could be given to determine which one is in more danger of death or recovery? To date, there are not many. However, recently a test, a biomarker, used in HIV detection can provide insights into coronavirus and anticipated recovery.

Viral RNA

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/blood-biomarker-may-predict-mortality-in-covid-19-patients?fbclid=IwAR1nrH9W2zLkWnhOLgnFwKVRBX9uwSty0htqvy1eiKRvGSFFKTsI-OrXlbQ. Prognostic biomarkers predict future outcomes of disease. COVID-19 is an RNA virus. Viral RNA (vRNA) has been studied to determine if it can effectively be a prognostic biomarker for COVID-19 mortality.

The Study

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj5629. A patient can expect a full recovery when diagnostic testing provides medical professionals with enough time and a high degree of correlation as to the outcome of a disease. Immune interventions can be timed with appropriate doses that can effectively fight the advance of the disease.

The study published this past week in Science Advances shows that profiling COVID-19 plasma can predict a patient’s outcome. Nine months ago, blood protein profiling in COVID-19 patients isolated five proteins predictive of potential increased inflammation that can affect future recovery. Give a patient the right drugs/treatment at the right time, and the inflammatory aspects of the virus are mitigated. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-5-blood-proteins-predict-critical-illness-and-death

Today

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41421-021-00289-8. Scientists want simple, reliable blood tests that pinpoint the highest risk of fatality. Many patients have similar health conditions along with age, ethnicity, etc. How do you know one person is more at risk than another? vRNA varies in people with similar medical and demographic backgrounds. The amount of virus in the body is relative to the level of immune function and what reaction the body takes to combat the virus. Some patients fight off the disease well and have little vRNA, while others have higher levels of vRNA. Those with high vRNA levels are at increased risk of death from COVID-19.

Conclusion

Yes, protein profiling works to a degree, as does antibody levels in the body. However, the vRNA level appears to be the simple, reliable test that can provide predictive results in time for better care and treatment to reduce coronavirus fatalities.

Other tests can allow time to be on the front edge of treatment to tamp down inflammation before it becomes critical and possibly life-threatening. vRNA testing might be the silver bullet that allows more prompt treatment so that the progress of the disease is thwarted early enough to save lives. Every piece of the puzzle solved early adds to the overall success of any treatment.

Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com

 

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