Rovere-Querini P; Tresoldi C; Conte C; Ruggeri A; Ghezzi S; DE Lorenzo R; DI Filippo L; Farina N; Ramirez GA; Ripa M; Mancini N; Cantarelli E; Galli L; Poli A; DE Cobelli F; Bonini C; Manfredi AA; Franchini S; Spessot M; Carlucci M; Dagna L; Scarpellini P; Ambrosio A; DI Napoli D; Bosi E; Tresoldi M; Lazzarin A; Landoni G; Martino G; Zangrillo A; Poli G; Castagna A; Vicenzi E; Clementi M; Ciceri F
Panminerva Med 2022[Jun]; 64 (2): 244-252 PMID33073557show ga
BACKGROUND: Biobanks are imperative infrastructures, particularly during outbreaks, when there is an obligation to acquire and share knowledge as quick as possible to allow for implementation of science-based preventive, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies. METHODS: We established a COVID-19 biobank with the aim of collecting high-quality and well-annotated human biospecimens, in the effort to understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying COVID-19 and identify therapeutic targets (COVID-BioB, NCT04318366). Here we describe our experience and briefly review the characteristics of the biobanks for COVID-19 that have been so far established. RESULTS: A total of 46,677 samples have been collected from 913 participants (63.3% males, median [IQR] age 62.2 [51.2-74.0] years) since the beginning of the program. Most patients (66.9%) had been admitted to hospital for COVID-19, with a median length of stay of 15.0 (9.0-27.0) days. A minority of patients (13.3% of the total) had been admitted for other reasons and subsequently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The remainder were managed at home after being seen at the Emergency Department. CONCLUSIONS: Having a solid research infrastructure already in place, along with flexibility and adaptability to new requirements, allowed for the quick building of a COVID-19 biobank that will help expand and share the knowledge of SARS-CoV-2.
Panminerva+Med 2022 ; 64 (2): 244-252
