Aging. A CNIO study links severe COVID-19 disease to short telomeres
The study was carried out with data from 89 patients admitted to the IFEMA Hospital
The data show that telomeres are shorter in patients suffering more severe COVID-19 pathologies
The researchers propose that one of the consequences of the viral infection is shortening of the telomeres, which, in turn, hampers the regeneration of lung tissue and causes prolonged sequelae in some patients
The study, published in the journal Aging, suggests the usefulness of a possible therapy for patients with post-COVID pulmonary injury based on activation of the enzyme telomerase