Modelling the linkage between influenza infection and cardiovascular events via thrombosis.

Abstract

There is a heavy burden associated with influenza including all-cause hospitalization as well as severe cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory events. Influenza associated cardiac events have been linked to multiple biological pathways in a human host. To study the contribution of influenza virus infection to cardiovascular thrombotic events, we develop a dynamic model which incorporates some key elements of the host immune response, inflammatory response, and blood coagulation. We formulate these biological systems and integrate them into a cohesive modelling framework to show how blood clotting may be connected to influenza virus infection. With blood clot formation inside an artery resulting from influenza virus infection as the primary outcome of this integrated model, we demonstrate how blood clot severity may depend on circulating prothrombin levels. We also utilize our model to leverage clinical data to inform the threshold level of the inflammatory cytokine TNFα which initiates tissue factor induction and subsequent blood clotting. Our model provides a tool to explore how individual biological components contribute to blood clotting events in the presence of influenza infection, to identify individuals at risk of clotting based on their circulating prothrombin levels, and to guide the development of future vaccines to optimally interact with the immune system.

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Citation

Published Version (Please cite this version)

10.1038/s41598-020-70753-0

Publication Info

McCarthy, Zachary, Shixin Xu, Ashrafur Rahman, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Vicente F Corrales-Medina, Jason Lee, Bruce T Seet, Dion Neame, et al. (2020). Modelling the linkage between influenza infection and cardiovascular events via thrombosis. Scientific reports, 10(1). p. 14264. 10.1038/s41598-020-70753-0 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/23230.

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Scholars@Duke

Xu

Shixin Xu

Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Duke Kunshan University

Shixin Xu is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics whose research spans several dynamic and interconnected fields. His primary interests include machine learning and data-driven models for disease prediction, multiscale modeling of complex fluids, neurovascular coupling, homogenization theory, and numerical analysis. His current projects reflect a diverse and impactful portfolio:

  • Developing predictive models based on image data to identify hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischemic stroke.
  • Conducting electrodynamics modeling of saltatory conduction along myelinated axons to understand nerve impulse transmission.
  • Engaging in electrochemical modeling to explore the interactions between electric fields and chemical processes.
  • Investigating fluid-structure interactions with mass transport and reactions, crucial for understanding physiological and engineering systems.

These projects demonstrate his commitment to addressing complex problems through interdisciplinary approaches that bridge mathematics with biological and physical sciences.


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