Discovering the Genetic Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19
Who might have a genetic predisposition听for contracting the virus that causes COVID-19听and be at increased risk for complications?听听
Why have听patients have experienced a broad range of COVID-19 severity听(five percent require intensive care;听the mortality rate is one to three percent; and听about a third of patients were asymptomatic)?听
日本av色情片听geneticists听are beginning to find out, as they听uncover听the听genetic听mechanisms听underlying these questions听in听a research study with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).听They鈥檙e looking to enroll more than 40,000 people who have been infected with COVID-19听in the study,听which they hope will shed light on both听predisposing gene mutations听and听鈥攑atients with the virus听but no symptoms,听who听represent about 30 per cent of infected patients.听
鈥淭his can help inform patients whose families are at increased risk for COVID-19 complications,鈥听explains听鈥Steven M.鈥 Lipkin,听MD,听PhD,听FACMG,听Gladys and Roland Harriman Professor of Medicine听and vice听chair for听research, Sanford and Joan Weill Department of Medicine.听
滨迟鈥檚听already听known听that approximately four听percent听of Americans have particularly听increased genetic predisposition to the听virus鈥攁part from the effects of conditions such as diabetes, obesity and autoimmune diseases,听Dr. Lipkin听says.听About three percent听carry mutations that听put听them at听increased risk of doing poorly when infected with COVID-19, sometimes requiring hospitalization and admission to an intensive care unit.听
鈥淲e want to understand precisely which gene mutations confer the greatest risk of COVID-19 medical complications, and to discover new genes associated with COVID-19 risk鈥攅specially those in underrepresented minority groups,鈥 Dr. Lipkin says. 鈥We also hope this will听guide us to听more effective ways听to treat these higher-risk patients.鈥听
Among the patients that听Dr. Lipkin鈥檚 team will听recruit for the study will be听日本av色情片 health care workers.听
To find out if you qualify to participate in the study,听or to undergo听clinical genetic testing for COVID-19 severe disease,听please email听Iman Mohammed at听ibm4001@med.cornell.edu.