Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, it has rapidly spread across many other countries. We evaluated antioxidant defense systems and inflammatory status related to the SARS-CoV2 infection in a population from southwestern Iran. Comorbidities and clinical symptoms of 104 subjects (comprising negative and positive-PCR COVID-19 outpatients) were assessed. Serum concentrations of glutathione reductase (GR) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured using ELISA. In the positive-PCR group, follow-ups on clinical symptoms were carried out for 28 days at 7-day intervals. In the positive-PCR group, hypertension, diabetes, liver disease, chronic heart disease, and chronic kidney disease were the most common comorbidities. In the general category of symptoms, we found a significant difference between negative and positive-PCR groups, except regarding runny noses. In the pulmonary category, there was a significant difference between the two groups except in terms of chest pain. We also determined a significant difference in neurologic symptoms, except for ear pain, between negative and positive-PCR groups. We also found significantly lower levels of GR but higher levels of IL-10 in the positive-PCR group (p = 0.000 for both). In the positive-PCR group, serum levels of IL-10 (odds ratio = 0.914, p = 0.012) decreased the chances of neurological symptoms occurring over time. The antioxidant defense systems of positive-PCR outpatients failed as demonstrated by a reduction in the serum levels of GR. We also indicated a dysregulation in the immune response against COVID-19, characterized by changes in serum IL-10 levels.
Keywords: COVID-19; glutathione reductase; interleukin-10; southwestern Iran.
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