Post-COVID-19 immune homeostasis among 50–60 years old men with comorbidities living in the Аrctic region

BACKGROUND: The Northern and Arctic territories are known for their harsh natural and climatic conditions. It is important to prioritize the health of the population in these regions, as people are the primary resource for the Russian Federation’s long-term plans for the development of the Arctic. One unique aspect of immune regulation in the relatively healthy residents of the Arctic region is a decrease in adaptive immunity activity, particularly in the humoral link (HLA-DR⁺, IgE), alongside heightened cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CD8⁺). The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all districts of the Arkhangelsk region, further highlighting the importance of health in these remote areas. In addition to common regional pathologies such as upper respiratory tract diseases, inflammatory gastrointestinal pathologies are also prevalent in the Arctic region.

AIM: To study cellular immune response in 50–60 years old men with a history of gastrointestinal diseases(erosive gastritis), who have survived the COVID-19 in the Arctic region.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: An immunological examination was conducted on 26 men aged 50–60 from Arkhangelsk, who had a history of chronic erosive gastritis in long-term remission and had experienced mild cases of COVID-19. The examination included the determination of leukocytes, lymphocytes, and their phenotypes (CD5⁺, CD8⁺, CD10⁺, CD95⁺).

RESULTS: In men 6–11 months after COVID-19 infection, the adaptive immune response was marked by a deficiency of CD3⁺ T-cells in 88.5% of cases, elevated concentrations of CD10⁺ cells in 23.1%, increased levels of leukocytes, lymphocytes, and neutrophils (by 15.4%, 34.6%, 30.8%, respectively), eleveted CD8⁺ cell-mediated cytotoxicity (65.4%), and an increase in CD95⁺ cells in 38.5% of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS: The cellular immune response observed in the study is characterized by a 65.4% increase in cytotoxicity (CD8⁺), a significant deficiency of T-lymphocytes (CD3⁺) in 88.5% of cases, and a low level of phagocytic protection in 38.5% of individuals. These findings indicate a poor prognosis for the recurrence of chronic diseases.