TY - JOUR T1 - Heparin-binding protein levels correlate with aggravation and multiorgan damage in severe COVID-19 JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00741-2020 VL - 7 IS - 1 SP - 00741-2020 AU - Mingshan Xue AU - Yifeng Zeng AU - Hui-Qi Qu AU - Teng Zhang AU - Ning Li AU - Huimin Huang AU - Peiyan Zheng AU - Haisheng Hu AU - Luqian Zhou AU - Zhifeng Duan AU - Yong Zhang AU - Wei Bao AU - Li-feng Tian AU - Hakon Hakonarson AU - Nanshan Zhong AU - Xiaohua Douglas Zhang AU - Baoqing Sun Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/7/1/00741-2020.abstract N2 - Background Critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients may suffer persistent systemic inflammation and multiple organ failure, leading to a poor prognosis.Research question To examine the relevance of the novel inflammatory factor heparin-binding protein (HBP) in critically ill COVID-19 patients, and evaluate the correlation of the biomarker with disease progression.Study design and methods 18 critically ill COVID-19 patients who suffered from respiratory failure and sepsis, including 12 cases who experienced a rapidly deteriorating clinical condition and six cases without deterioration, were investigated. They were compared with 15 age- and sex- matched COVID-19-negative patients with respiratory failure. Clinical data were collected and HBP levels were investigated.Results HBP was significantly increased in critically ill COVID-19 patients following disease aggravation and tracked with disease progression. HBP elevation preceded the clinical manifestations for up to 5 days and was closely correlated with patients’ pulmonary ventilation and perfusion status.Interpretation HBP levels are associated with COVID-19 disease progression in critically ill patients. As a potential mediator of disease aggravation and multiple organ injuries that are triggered by continuing inflammation and oxygen deficits, HBP warrants further study as a disease biomarker and potential therapeutic target.For the first time, this study observed that heparin-binding protein (HBP) was significantly increased in critically ill #COVID19 patients during disease aggravation, which highlights HBP as a disease mediator and a potential therapeutic target https://bit.ly/35dz88C ER -