Abstract
The clinical presentation of COVID-19 is very heterogeneous, ranging from asymptomatic to severe, which could lead to the need for mechanical ventilation or even death.We analyzed the serum levels of IL-6 in patients with COVID-19 diagnosis and its relationship with the severity of the disease, the need for mechanical ventilation and with patient mortality. We assessed IL-6 in a cohort of 50 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia with different degrees of disease severity, and compared it with clinical and laboratory findings. We found higher levels of IL-6 in patients with more severe pneumonia according to CURB-65 scale (p = 0.001), with ICU mechanical ventilation requirements (p = 0.02), and who subsequently died (p = 0.003). Of the clinical and analytical parameters analyzed in the current study, the serum levels of IL-6 was the most effective predictor of disease severity. From the data obtained in ROC curve analysis, we defined a cut-off point for serum IL-6 levels of 35 pg/mL above which both the risk of mortality (OR = 20.00, 95 % CI 4.214-94-912, p = 0.0001) and ICU admission (OR = 12.750, 95 % CI 2,159-75,3,3, p = 0.005) were increased. Starting from blood IL-6 levels 27 out of 50 patients, with high levels and more severe symptoms, were treated with the IL-6 receptor antagonist Tocilizumab. IL-6 serum levels appear to be a useful prognostic biomarker in patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. A cut-off point of 35 pg/mL could clearly differentiate patients a with more severe disease.
Keywords: COVID-19 pneumonia; CURB-65 score; ICU admission; IL-6 serum levels; Mortality; Prognostic biomarkers.
【저자키워드】 Prognostic biomarkers, COVID-19 pneumonia, Mortality, ICU admission, CURB-65 score, IL-6 serum levels, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Prognostic biomarkers, COVID-19 pneumonia, mechanical ventilation, Tocilizumab, Pneumonia, IL-6, severity, disease severity, Diagnosis, risk, ICU, Laboratory, laboratory findings, serum, Cohort, Asymptomatic, CURB-65, Patient, COVID-19 diagnosis, ICU admission, severe pneumonia, patients, prognostic biomarker, Blood, CURB-65 score, Analysis, severe disease, ROC Curve, IL-6 receptor, lead, receptor antagonist, cut-off point, Serum IL-6, Serum level, serum levels, severe symptoms, CURB, heterogeneous, cut-off, parameter, patient mortality, starting, effective, 95 % CI, defined, analyzed, died, the disease, treated, diagnosed with COVID-19, diagnosis of COVID-19, IL-6 level, patients with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 Pneumonia, severity, risk, serum, Patient, diagnosed with COVID-19,