(ANSA) – SIENA, 06 DEC – The discovery of the presence of specific immune cells in patients suffering from severe forms of Covid opens up important perspectives in the prognosis and treatment of the disease. The scientific study, published in ‘Cell’, was conducted in Siena, in the Uoc Diseases of the Respiratory System of the Senese University Hospital Le Scotte, and was coordinated by Professor Elena Bargagli, head of the regional reference center for rare pulmonary diseases, together with researcher Laura Bergantini. The experiments related to the study of immunological responses in patients hospitalized for Covid interstitial pneumonia were conducted at the Laboratory of Assistance and Translational Research, directed by Professor Francesco Dotta.
“The study – explains Bargagli – has shown that some immune cells, such as specific subsets of Natural Killer cells and T cells, are exclusively present in patients with severe forms of the disease, with interstitial pneumonia, and may represent future treatment targets. In particular , these are cells that normally intervene in the defense of the organism in the presence of viral, bacterial or tumors but in patients with severe forms of Covid they are present, in a more abundant way, in a specific subtype, a phenomenon that we have already observed in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis “.
“In summary, these cells from simple immune response indicators can become prognosis markers and potential treatment targets. The future prospect – he continues – is to evaluate at the peripheral level the presence of these subgroups of cells, belonging to the white blood cell family, in patients. with Covid in order to have an indicator of prognosis, understand the cases that can worsen and customize the therapy to avoid bad outcomes “. (HANDLE).
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