Frontiers in Psychology (Dec 2023)

High level of psychological stress in COVID-19 recovered individuals: role of copeptin as a potential biomarker

  • Phibakordor Lyngdoh Nonglait,
  • Sri Venkata Madhu,
  • Nishant Raizada,
  • Amitesh Aggarwal,
  • Rafat Ahmed,
  • Mohammad Aslam

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1253396
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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BackgroundStudy aimed to assess stress in COVID-19 recovered individuals using a validated questionnaire PSS-10 score and stress biomarkers – salivary cortisol and serum copeptin.MethodsA total of 83 subjects of which 54 subjects (66.3%) who were hospitalized were recruited 8–20 weeks following recovery from COVID-19. Stress was assessed by PSS-10 stress-scale after a mean duration of 14.5 weeks after recovery. Sixty-eight subjects (81.9%) had new or persistent symptoms after recovery. Subjects were divided into two groups on the basis of PSS score; mild stress (PSS:0–13) and moderate to severe stress (PSS:>14) and levels of biomarkers (serum copeptin, DHEAS and salivary cortisol) were compared in the two groups.ResultsForty-four subjects (53%) had moderate to severe stress and 39 subjects (47%) had mild stress. Subjects with post COVID symptoms had significantly higher stress levels as compared to subjects who were asymptomatic [15 vs. 9; p = 0.003]. Serum copeptin levels were significantly higher among subjects with moderate to severe stress as compared to those with mild stress [0.41 vs. 0.67 ng/mL; p = 0.031]. Subjects with moderate to severe stress had higher median salivary cortisol compared to subjects with mild stress [1.03 vs. 1.44 nmol/L; p = 0.448].ConclusionOur study demonstrated moderate to severe stress in over half and some level of stress in nearly all COVID recovered individuals even after 3 months. Serum copeptin was found to be a useful biomarker to objectively measure stress in these subjects.

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