Inflammatory-Related Clinical and Metabolic Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients

Abstract EN

Background.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection elicits inflammatory manifestations that relate with a “cytokine storm.” Objective.

The aim of this research was to assess the role of circulating interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels and other inflammatory markers in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on metabolic functions and accompanying clinical complications.

Patients and Methods.

A total of 165 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia were examined for medical features and inflammatory markers such as blood IL-6, CRP, ferritin, LDH, neutrophil/lymphocyte index (NLI), D-Dimer, and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW).

Regression analyses concerning electronically collected medical data were adjusted by appropriate factors and confounding variables.

Results.

Plasma IL-6 determinations evidenced a consistent association with hospital stay days, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, and mortality rates.

Similar trends were found for other proinflammatory variables, where ferritin and NLI showed a remarkable value as surrogates.

Hyperglycaemia and the Charlson Comorbidity Index Score were positively associated with the inflammatory response induced by the SARS-COV-2 infection.

An unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking and alcoholic drinks consumption as well as excessive body adiposity influenced inflammatory-related outcomes in the screened patients.

Conclusion.

IL-6 together with other inflammatory biomarkers accompanied poor clinical and metabolic outcomes in COVID-19-infected patients.

IL-6 may result in a suitable proxy to individually categorise patients in order to manage this infectious pandemic.