[68Ga]FAPI PET/CT reveals increased pulmonary fibroblast activation protein expression in long COVID patients after ICU discharge.
Purpose: Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) has emerged as a major healthcare problem. A comprehensive mechanism of disease remains to be elucidated. In this study we aimed to explore pulmonary and muscle fibroblast activation protein (FAP) activity in former critical COVID-19 patients with pers...
| Published in: | European Journal of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 565 - 574 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
Dec2025
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=189634242&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 189634242 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 16197070 NPC jtl: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging issn: 16197070 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Dec2025 vid: 53 iid: 1 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature place: New York, New York artinfo: ui: 189634242 186044855 10.1007/s00259-025-07376-y 189634242 ppf: 565 ppct: 9 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: [68Ga]FAPI PET/CT reveals increased pulmonary fibroblast activation protein expression in long COVID patients after ICU discharge. aug: au: van Leer, B. Londema, M. Kasalak, Ö. van Snick, J. H. Duiverman, M. L. Kuijvenhoven, J. C. de Kruif, M. D. Oprea-Lager, D. E. Pabst, K. Hellemons, M. E. Boersma, H. H. Prokop, M. Nijsten, M. W. Glaudemans, A. W. J. M. Pillay, J. Slart, R. H. J. A. on behalf of the COVID-CLIMATE consortium Beijers, R. J. H. C. G. van Kuijk, S. M. J. Gach, D. affil: https://ror.org/012p63287 Department of Critical Care, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands sug: ab: Purpose: Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) has emerged as a major healthcare problem. A comprehensive mechanism of disease remains to be elucidated. In this study we aimed to explore pulmonary and muscle fibroblast activation protein (FAP) activity in former critical COVID-19 patients with persistent dyspnea, using [68Ga]FAPI-46 PET/CT. Methods: In this single center prospective observational study we included former critical COVID-19 patients reporting complaints of dyspnea > 3 months after hospital discharge. A [68Ga]FAPI PET/CT scan was performed including a high-resolution CT scan, lung function test, EQ-5D questionnaire, 6 min walking test and inflammatory markers. Age and sex-matched subjects, without pulmonary pathology, served as controls. The [68Ga]FAPI uptake was corrected for lean body mass and the target-to-background ratio (TBR) was calculated. Results: Eighteen PASC patients and 15 controls (median age 59 and 63 years and BMI of 34.6 and 25.2 kg/m2) were included. The interval between hospital discharge and study visit was 30 months. Increased pulmonary FAP expression was observed in PASC, (TBR 0.79 ± 0.23) compared to controls (TBR 0.40 ± 0.13, P < 0.001). Increased FAP expression was also observed in the paravertebral muscles (PASC: TBR 1.17 and controls TBR 1.00, P = 0.03). Forced expiratory volume and forced vital capacity showed moderate negative correlation with the pulmonary TBR, while the percentage of ground glass opacities showed a moderate positive correlation. Conclusion: [68Ga]FAPI PET/CT demonstrated elevated FAP expression in PASC. These findings provide insight into possible pathophysiological mechanisms of PASC and a potential new diagnostic modality. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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