COVID-19 is a viral infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that killed a large number of patients around the world. A hyperinflammatory state resulting in a cytokine storm and adult respiratory distress syndrome seems to be the major cause of the death. Many mechanisms have been suggested in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 associated cytokine storm (COVID-CS). Insufficient viral clearance and persistence of a strong cytokine response despite inadequate antiviral immunity seem to be the main mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis. The diagnosis of COVID-19 is based on relatively constant clinical symptoms, clinical findings, laboratory tests, and imaging techniques, while the diagnosis of COVID-CS is a rather dynamic process, based on evolving or newly emerging findings during the clinical course. Management of COVID-19 consists of using antiviral agents to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and treating potential complications including the cytokine storm together with general supportive measures. COVID-CS may be treated using appropriate immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs that reduce the level of inappropriate systemic inflammation, which has the potential to cause organ damage. Currently corticosteroids, IL-6 blockers, or IL-1 blockers are most widely used for treating COVID-CS.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Cytokine storm, Anakinra, acute respiratory distress syndrome, Tocilizumab, 【초록키워드】 viral infection, coronavirus, Corticosteroids, Pathogenesis, Clinical symptoms, Diagnosis, Laboratory tests, viral clearance, Replication, Clinical course, Measures, Clinical findings, persistence, Patient, death, Complication, IL-6 blockers, systemic inflammation, antiviral agent, antiviral immunity, mechanism, IL-1, hyperinflammatory state, cytokine response, distress, immunosuppressive, acute respiratory syndrome, syndrome, pathogenesis of COVID-19, organ damage, blocker, resulting, caused, treated, suggested, reduce, diagnosis of COVID-19, immunomodulatory drug, inhibit SARS-CoV-2, Insufficient, main mechanism, the cytokine storm, 【제목키워드】 Treatment,