Characteristics of COVID-19 Convalescents With Abdominal Obesity and Newly Identified Impaired Glucose Metabolism

The aim of the study was to investigate the characteristics of convalescents with abdominal obesity (AO) and newly diagnosed impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) in the post-COVID period. Materials and Methods: study subgroup - 12 convalescents with AO and newly diagnosed IGM (from 98 patients with an endocrine phenotype; total sample - 208 patients with post-COVID syndrome (PCS)). Whole-exome sequencing and genotyping of the rs4646994 variant in the ACE gene were performed. Results: the age of the study subgroup was higher compared with other patients with an endocrine phenotype and other PCS manifestations (p = 0.002; p < 0.001). In the study subgroup, higher waist circumference (+15.1%, p = 0.003), systolic blood pressure (+8.2%, p = 0.015), fasting plasma glucose (+27.6%, p < 0.001), triglycerides (+46.2%, p = 0.005), and higher prevalence of pre-existing cardiovascular disease (+41.7%, p = 0.007) were observed. Genotyping did not reveal an association of rs4646994 with the phenotype of the study subgroup. Whole‑exome sequencing analysis identified common variants of the ACE gene: rs4362 (T>C), rs4343 (G>A), rs4342 (A>C), rs4331 (A>G), rs4316 (C>T), rs4309 (C>T), rs4298 (C>T), rs3730025 (A>G), rs4365 (G>A), rs4341 (G>C), rs4319 (A>AG), rs4363 (G>A) and rare variants: rs142947404 (C>A), rs61738840 (G>T), rs146515255 (C>T), rs150234417 (del); additionally, 48 rare variants in genes associated with IGM, dyslipidemia, and obesity were identified. Conclusions: Patients with AO and newly diagnosed IGM (n = 12) exhibit an unfavorable post-COVID cardiometabolic profile not associated with the ACE rs4646994 variant. Whole‑exome sequencing identified common and rare genetic variants as candidate markers for post‑COVID metabolic and cardiovascular changes, requiring further validation.