CYTOKINE PROFILE IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 OF DIFFERENT SEVERITY
Analysis of cytokine profile markers in conjunction with the clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can provide valuable information about the pathogenetic manifestations of the disease, and therefore, in the future, determine drugs that affect the cytokine storm and have an anti-inflammatory effect. <br>Aim. To identify correlations between the parameters of the developed cytokine profile and the clinical course in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 of different severity. <br>Material and methods. The study included 70 hospitalized patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, with a mean age of 58 [50;69] years, including 40 men (57%) and 30 women (43%). The average lung involvement according to computed tomography (CT) at admission was CT-2 [1;3]. Peripheral venous blood was taken at admission, which averaged 7 [6; 8] days from the symptom onset. Standard biochemical parameters were studied, as well as 47 cytokines and chemokines using the Multiplex system (Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany). <br>Results. Correlations was found between the lung involvement degree and the level of IL-8 (r=0,31, p<0,05), IL-15 (r=0,35, p<0,05), IL-18 (r=0,31, p<0,05), MCP-1 (r=0,36, p<0,05), MIG (r=0,50, p<0,05), TNF-α (r=0,41, p<0,05). An inverse correlation was also found in the level of blood oxygen saturation with the same indicators as follows: IL-8 (r=-0,27, p<0,05), IL-15 (r=-0,34, p<0,05), IL-18 (r=-0,31, p<0,05), MCP-1 (r=-0,40, p<0,05), MIG (r=-0,56, p<0,05), TNF-α (r=-0,45, p<0,05). IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in patients with severe COVID-19 (CT3, CT4), while no increase in IL-6 was observed in patients with moderate disease (CT1, CT2). It is noteworthy that in patients with diabetes, the highest values of IL-12, IL-9 were recorded. <br>Conclusion. Hyperinflammatory syndrome in severe COVID-19 is manifested by high levels of IL-6, MIG, MDC, MCP-1, M-CSF, TNF-α, β, IL-8, IL-18, IL-15. With the CT-1 and CT-2, an increase in only the level of IL-18, IL-8 is noted. The identified patterns prove and make it possible to explain a number of systemic inflammatory changes that occur with COVID-19.