Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jul 18, 2025 5 hours, 34 minutes ago
Medical News: A new clinical study from researchers at Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, Bürgerspital Solothurn, Waikato Hospital in New Zealand, and St. Josef Hospital at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany has shed light on how ferritin levels and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) may play a role in the lingering symptoms of long COVID. The study followed 74 patients suffering from post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) over several months and identified signs of ongoing immune system activation.
Ferritin Levels and Antinuclear Antibodies Linked to Long COVID Symptoms
This
Medical News report shows that while some symptoms like fatigue and sleep disturbances may ease slightly over time, many patients still experience health problems one year after the initial infection. What’s most concerning is the high percentage of patients who showed abnormal blood markers—specifically elevated ferritin and ANA levels—months after recovering from COVID-19.
Ferritin and ANA Remained High Months After Recovery
In this study, 78.1% of patients tested had elevated ferritin levels during their first evaluation, with a mean level of 306.9 µg/l—much higher than the normal range. Even after three to four months, 80% of these individuals still had ferritin levels above normal. Similarly, 40% of the patients without any known autoimmune diseases tested positive for elevated ANA levels (≥1:160), which are often linked to autoimmune activity. At follow-up, 68% of those with elevated ANA still showed abnormal readings, suggesting the immune system remained in an activated state.
These findings indicate that for a substantial portion of long COVID patients, the immune system may continue to behave abnormally, long after the initial viral infection is gone.
Fatigue Was the Most Persistent Complaint
Every single patient in the study reported fatigue during their first consultation, and 82.4% were still experiencing it months later. The average fatigue severity scores remained in the high range, indicating that for most people, this symptom did not improve significantly. Some improvement was noted in depression and sleep disturbance scores, but they remained common complaints.
Interestingly, those who experienced slight improvements in fatigue tended to have had higher ferritin levels at the beginning. This suggests that inflammation could be playing a bigger role in fatigue symptoms for some individuals, though more studies are needed to confirm this.
Ongoing Immune Dysregulation Raises Concern
The persistent elevation of ferritin and ANA suggests that long COVID may involve continued low-grade inflammation and autoimmunity. Even though no direct connection was found between ANA levels and specific symptoms in this study, the widespread presence of these antibodies points toward chronic immune abnormalities.
The researchers emphasized the importance of monitoring ferritin and ANA as pote
ntial biomarkers for post-COVID conditions. Their presence could help doctors identify which patients are most at risk for prolonged symptoms and may even guide treatment in the future.
Conclusion
The study clearly shows that long COVID is not just a matter of lingering symptoms—it is often tied to measurable immune system changes. Elevated ferritin levels and antinuclear antibodies point toward an ongoing inflammatory or autoimmune process in many patients. While some individuals improve slightly over time, a large number continue to face fatigue and cognitive issues months after infection. These findings highlight the urgent need for more research and better care protocols for people suffering from long COVID.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Cureus
https://www.cureus.com/articles/348229-neurological-and-immunological-insights-into-post-covid-19-syndrome-a-single-center-retrospective-study#!/
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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