Wednesday, January 4, 2023, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an open doctoral promotion session on behalf of Nurfanida Librianty. The promotion session was chaired by Prof. Dr. R. Budi Haryanto, S.K.M., M.Kes., M.Sc. and was also attended by Prof. dr. Faisal Yunus, Ph.D, Sp.P(K) as the head of the examiner team, Prof. Drs. Bambang Wispriyono, Apt., Ph.D as the promoter, Prof. dr. Haryoto Kusnoputranto, S.K.M., Dr.PH., and Dr. dr. Anna Rozaliyani, M.Biomed, Sp.P(K) as the co-promoter, as well as the testing team consisting of Dr. Besral, S.K.M., M.Sc.; Dr. Arief Budi Witarto, B.Eng., M.Eng.; and Dr. dr. Satria Pratama, Sp.P. Nurfanida defended her dissertation entitled “The Effect of PM2.5, NO2, O3 Exposure, Climatic Conditions, Polymorphisms of ACE rs4646994 and ACE2 rs2285666 on the Degree of COVID-19”.
Nurfanida’s dissertation explores the relationship between air pollution and climatic conditions and respiratory viral infections, especially COVID-19 infection. Nurfanida focuses on analyzing aspects of genetic variation (ACE and ACE2 polymorphisms) on the degree of severity of COVID-19 which is associated with air quality, such as exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and O3, as well as the influence of climatic conditions. It is hoped that this research can be used as a preventive measure for COVID-19 patients who are exposed to air pollutants, especially by using the field of environmental toxicology and the application of genomic technology.
Nurfanida’s research used environmental data obtained from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) as well as research subjects from the RSDC Wisma Atlet Kebayoran. The polymorphism examination of the study subjects was taken from a buccal swab. The data was then analyzed using a logistic regression test. From the results of the study, it was found that the ACE2 rs2285666 polymorphism of the AA genotype was an aggravating risk factor for COVID-19. Patients with the ACE2 polymorphism rs2285666 genotype AA have 9.128 times the risk of experiencing a more severe degree of COVID-19. O3 exposure, low temperature, high average humidity, little sunlight, and high body mass index (BMI) are also risk factors for complicating the degree of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the ACE rs4646994 polymorphism, exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and co-morbid hypertension, heart disease, asthma, and diabetes mellitus (DM) did not have a significant relationship with the degree of COVID-19. This research can still be developed in patients with other lung diseases related to air pollution, such as COPD and pneumoconiosis.
Nurfanida successfully defended her dissertation in front of the board of examiners and was officially appointed as a Doctor of Public Health (IKM). Nurfanida is the 4th graduate of 2023, the 280th IKM doctoral graduate, and the 360th FPH doctoral graduate. (WR)
