Role of cytokines and other prophetic variables in the development and progression of disease in patients suffering from COVID-19

  1. Arif Malik
  2. Saima Iqbal
  3. Sulayman Waquar
  4. Muhammad Mansoor Hafeez

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Outbreak of the novel COVID-19 infection identifies both causative agents that threaten global pandemic in 2003 and 2011. It is an enveloped virus with spike (S) protein attached that facilitates its receptor binding on the surface. Although it has brought about the global interest for the researchers and medical practitioner in the identification of potential targets that may be addressed in order to cope up with the situation. In the current study potential role of cytokines and related inflammatory markers have been identified that interplays in the progression of disease in COVID-19 patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Current study substitutes hundred and fifty (n=150) patients with novel-COVID-19 and hundred (n=100) healthy controls. After getting informed consent serum samples of the participants were collected and analyzed for their significance in the disease progression. Levels of Interleukins i.e., (IL- 1,6,8,10,11) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined with help of their specific spectrophotometric and ELISA methods.

RESULTS

Findings of study show significant increase in the levels of interleukins and TNF-α that signifies the presence of “cytokine storm” in worsening the condition in respect to the exposure of COVID-19. Levels of IL-1 and 6 were significantly higher in patients (98.69±39.35pg/ml and 71.95±28.41 pg/ml) as compared to controls (30.06±14.19pg/ml and 9.46±3.43pg/ml) where, (p=0.001 and 0.007). It also suggests that IL-6 is most sensitive test with about (98%) sensitivity in comparison with 96%,95%, 95%,93% and 92% in case of IL-10,1,8,11 and TNF-α respectively.

CONCLUSION

Current study elucidate the effects of cytokines and respective inflammatory markers in the progression of the COVID-19. Findings show that activation of macrophages and neutrophils have significant role in the worsening of the symptoms and progression of the viral infection. Thus, use of certain blockers in initial stages could serve with potent benefits in coping up the infectious condition.

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    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.10.28.20221408: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementConsent: All of the participants were then provided with informed consents and required information were acquired accordingly.
    IRB: The study was approved from the Departmental Research Committee (DRC), Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), The University of Lahore.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    Results were then subjected to their statistical analysis using SPSS v.21.
    SPSS
    suggested: (SPSS, RRID:SCR_002865)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

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  2. Version published to 10.1101/2020.10.28.20221408 on medRxiv