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Looking beyond pulmonary disease in COVID-19: A lesson from patients with cystic fibrosis

Editorial Med Hypotheses 2021 Jan 4;147:110481. Looking beyond pulmonary disease in COVID-19: A lesson from patients with cystic fibrosis Sara Manti 1, Giuseppe Fabio Parisi 2, Maria Papale 2, Enza Mulè 2, Donatella Aloisio 2, Novella Rotolo 2, Salvatore Leonardi 2 Affiliations

1 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pediatric Respiratory Unit, San Marco Hospital, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy. Electronic address: saramanti@hotmail.it.
2 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pediatric Respiratory Unit, San Marco Hospital, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy.

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused more than 52.775.271 million confirmed cases, 1.293.106 deaths, globally, and afflicted 208 countries, areas, or territories; and almost three months have passed since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic. Despite the dramatic and global impact of the Coronavirus, the knowledge about the SARS-CoV-2 infection has been improved remarkably. Herein, we provided the rationale for SARS-CoV-2 infection as endothelial dysfunction rather than respiratory disease. Accordingly, we strongly invited the researchers to look beyond pulmonary injury and shift their attention from respiratory disease to endothelial disorder. This strategy could be particularly relevant to identifying therapeutic weapons stabilizing the endothelium rather than the lungs. Keywords: COVID-19; Cystic fibrosis; Endothelial dysfunction; Pulmonary disease; SARS-CoV-2 infection. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. View Full-Text Similar article: COVID-19 is, in the end, an endothelial disease Peter Libby, Thomas Lüscher European Heart Journal, Volume 41, Issue 32, 21