RESUMEN
An accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 is essential for pandemic control and for establishing adequate therapeutic strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 infection replicates in macrophage cells and affects the immune system. Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1 (NRAMP-1) carries cation ions, such as Fe2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+, and plays an essential role in the immune system to infection with micro-organisms. In addition, the function of NRAMP-1 is to limit the replication of pathogens by changing the phagosomal environment. Levels of NRAMP-1 protein are based on death, comorbidities and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients and it is possible for the soluble protein NRAMP-1 level to be used as an additional biomarker for forensic and medicolegal related COVID-19 cases and prosecutions from patients and families. Methods: Determination of NRAMP-1 protein levels using the enzyme link-immunosorbent assay technique in death, had comorbidities and severity of clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients. Results: Of the 62 patients who received treatment, 10 patients died with an average NRAMP-1 level of 650 ng/ml and 52 patients who survive with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1065.26 ng/ml. The results of the study also found that 34 patients had comorbidities with an average NRAMP-1 level of 838.82 ng/ml and 28 patients without comorbidities with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1191.92 ng/ml. Based on the severity of clinical symptoms in survive patients, 10 patients with mild were found with an average NRAMP-1 level of 984.31 ng/ml, with moderate in 31 patients with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1104.71 ng/ml and severe in 11 patients with an average NRAMP-1 level of 1027.71 ng/ml. Conclusions: NRAMP-1 protein levels were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients who died and had comorbidities.
RESUMEN
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the most common adverse drug reaction in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Several studies showed that patients with TB and the slow-acetylator phenotype caused by NAT2 variants are highly susceptible to DILI caused by anti-TB drugs, hereafter designated AT-DILI. However, the role of NAT2 variants in AT-DILI has never been assessed for an Indonesian population. We recruited 50 patients with TB and AT-DILI and 191 patients with TB but without AT-DILI; we then used direct DNA sequencing to assess single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region of NAT2. NAT2*6A was significantly associated with susceptibility to AT-DILI (P=7.7 × 10(-4), odds ratio (OR)=4.75 (1.8-12.55)). Moreover, patients with TB and the NAT2-associated slow-acetylator phenotype showed higher risk of AT-DILI than patients with the rapid- or intermediate-acetylator phenotypes (P=1.7 × 10(-4), OR=3.45 (1.79-6.67)). In conclusion, this study confirms the significance of the association between slow-acetylator NAT2 variants and susceptibility to AT-DILI in an Indonesian population.