What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine the relationship between plasma ACE and ACE2 levels and disease severity in COVID-19.

April 16, 2026VirusesOpen Access

Plasma ACE and ACE2 Levels Are Altered in Patients with COVID-19

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cohort. Population: COVID-19 (n=224). Intervention: COVID-19 severity (mild-pneumonia, severe, critical) vs. Asymptomatic or mild COVID-19. Primary outcome: Plasma ACE and ACE2 concentrations.

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Key result

Increasing COVID-19 severity is linked to an elevated ACE/ACE2 ratio, indicating a pro-inflammatory shift.

n=224

Why the study?

SARS-CoV-2 binds ACE2 to enter host cells, implicating renin-angiotensin system dysregulation, but the relationship of circulating ACE and ACE2 levels to disease severity was unclear.

Population

224 adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19

Comparison

Stratified by WHO disease severity into asymptomatic, mild, mild-pneumonia, severe, and critical groups

Design

Retrospective cohort study

Authors

MÖMurat ÖzZekai Tahir Burak Kadın Sağlığı Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi WCWassim ChehadehKuwait University OAOmamah AlfarisiKuwait University

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Should not yet change COVID-19 practice; hypothesis-generating for RAS modulation trials before clinical adoption.

Key Points

To examine the relationship between plasma ACE and ACE2 levels and disease severity in COVID-19.
Retrospective cohort study of 224 adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19.
Participants grouped by World Health Organization disease-severity criteria.
Plasma ACE and ACE2 concentrations measured using ELISA.
Data analyzed from electronic medical records including demographic and clinical data.
Higher disease severity associated with increased mortality and viral load estimates.
Progressive decline in plasma ACE2 levels with increased severity; significantly lower in severe or critical cases.
Plasma ACE levels increased significantly with disease severity.
Higher ACE/ACE2 ratio suggests shift toward pro-inflammatory pathways in the renin-angiotensin system.

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=224)

Structured PICO

Population

224 adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 stratified by World Health Organization disease-severity criteria into asymptomatic, mild, mild-pneumonia, severe, and critical groups

Outcome

Plasma ACE and ACE2 concentrationssurrogate

In patients with COVID-19, increasing disease severity is associated with a progressive shift toward the pro-inflammatory arm of the renin-angiotensin system, characterized by increased ACE and decreased ACE2 levels.

Cite This Study

Öz et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in COVID-19 (n=224). COVID-19 severity (mild-pneumonia, severe, critical) vs. Asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 was evaluated on Plasma ACE and ACE2 concentrations. Plasma ACE2 levels declined and ACE levels increased progressively with increasing COVID-19 severity, resulting in an elevated ACE/ACE2 ratio that indicates a pro-inflammatory shift.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e07d8f2f7e8953b7cbe8ea https://doi.org/10.3390/v18040465

Topics

COVID-19 cardiovascular

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

April 16, 2026VirusesOpen Access

Plasma ACE and ACE2 Levels Are Altered in Patients with COVID-19

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Key result

Increasing COVID-19 severity is linked to an elevated ACE/ACE2 ratio, indicating a pro-inflammatory shift.

n=224

Why the study?

SARS-CoV-2 binds ACE2 to enter host cells, implicating renin-angiotensin system dysregulation, but the relationship of circulating ACE and ACE2 levels to disease severity was unclear.

Population

224 adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19

Comparison

Stratified by WHO disease severity into asymptomatic, mild, mild-pneumonia, severe, and critical groups

Design

Retrospective cohort study

Authors

MÖMurat ÖzZekai Tahir Burak Kadın Sağlığı Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi WCWassim ChehadehKuwait University OAOmamah AlfarisiKuwait University

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Should not yet change COVID-19 practice; hypothesis-generating for RAS modulation trials before clinical adoption.

Key Points

To examine the relationship between plasma ACE and ACE2 levels and disease severity in COVID-19.
Retrospective cohort study of 224 adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19.
Participants grouped by World Health Organization disease-severity criteria.
Plasma ACE and ACE2 concentrations measured using ELISA.
Data analyzed from electronic medical records including demographic and clinical data.
Higher disease severity associated with increased mortality and viral load estimates.
Progressive decline in plasma ACE2 levels with increased severity; significantly lower in severe or critical cases.
Plasma ACE levels increased significantly with disease severity.
Higher ACE/ACE2 ratio suggests shift toward pro-inflammatory pathways in the renin-angiotensin system.

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=224)

Structured PICO

Population

224 adults with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 stratified by World Health Organization disease-severity criteria into asymptomatic, mild, mild-pneumonia, severe, and critical groups

Outcome

Plasma ACE and ACE2 concentrationssurrogate

Cite This Study

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e07d8f2f7e8953b7cbe8ea https://doi.org/10.3390/v18040465

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

Topics

COVID-19 cardiovascular

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark