• Popov, C.
• Bilyukov, R.
• Kundurzhiev, T.
• Ivanov, N.
• Mihailova, S.
• Naumova, E.

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>COVID-19 has proven to be a disease that affects not only the respiratory tract but also leads to a state of generalized systemic hyperinflammation and overall immune dysregulation. An important role in its pathogenesis is the disturbance of many cytokines – a condition which, in its most pronounced form, is also called a „cytokine storm“.</jats:p><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective</jats:title><jats:p>To evaluate the serum cytokine levels during COVID-19 infection as potential biomarkers for the severity and course of infection.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Materials and methods</jats:title><jats:p>By design, the study is a retrospective cross-sectional, in which the serum concentrations of 10 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and GM-CSF) were investigated in 36 individuals (divided into 3 groups by severity – with a mild form of the infection/presymptomatic, moderately severe and severe/critical) within two periods – before and after the second week from the onset of symptoms of the disease.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>In the period up to the 2nd week, the serum concentrations of IFN-γ (p = 0.029), IL-1β (p = 0.017), and IL-5 (p = 0.014) showed a statistically significant correlation with the disease severity, however in the later stage of the disease the cytokine levels did not show any clinical value.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>Cytokine testing could be used to predict the severity of COVID-19 infection which could support individual therapeutic decisions. Analysis of a larger group of patients is needed to unfold the full potential of such testing.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• size-exclusion chromatography