Dynamics of soluble immune mediators in COVID-19 patients from an Argentinean cohort with moderate and severe symptoms.

DUTTO, J; GAZZONI, Y; .....; IRIBARREN, P; ......

Buenos Aires

Congreso; Reunión de Sociedades de Biociencias (SAI, SAIC, AAFE, NANOMED-AR); 2021

Reunión de Sociedades de Biociencias (SAI, SAIC, AAFE, NANOMED-AR)

The cytokine storm, a form of systemic inflammatory response syndrome,is one of the most dreadful complications that can occurduring COVID-19. In this work, we aimed at studying the occurrenceof a cytokine storm in a cohort of COVID-19 patients (Cpts) from Córdoba(Argentine). During first wave, we collected sera from individualswith RT-PCR+ for SARS-CoV2 hospitalized in Hospital Privadowith moderate (MOD) and severe (SEV) disease (n=62, aged 21-80years) as well as healthy controls (HC n=24, age matched), to determinethe concentrations of IL-1b, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-28A/B,IL-29, TNF, IP-10, IFNa2, IFNb, IFNg and GM-CSF by LEGENDplexTM.Males represented 74% of MOD and 67% of SEV Cpts. Hypertension(HT, 48%), obesity (31%), dyslipidemia (DL, 24%), anddiabetes (24%) were the most frequent comorbidities. All cytokines,except IL-28A/B, were significantly increased in total Cpts in comparisonwith HC (p<0.01). Elevated levels of IL-6 and CRP (p<0.01)between 4-7 day after hospitalization were found in all Cpts whodied, but the cytokine profiles were different in deceased SEV thanin MOD Cpts. Mortality in SEV group was associated with high levelsof IL-6 (p<0.001), GM-CSF (p<0.01), IL-8, CRP, leukocytosis anddecreased platelets (p<0.0001 for all). Comorbidities were linked toparticular patterns of immune mediators on admission but not afterwardsduring infection, with HT Cpts exhibiting increased IP-10 levelsbut DL Cpts showing lower concentration of IL-1b, GM-CSF and IL-10 compared to no-HT and no-DL Cpts, respectively (p<0.05).The frequency of Cpts who required O2 support was higher in HT(84%) vs DL (67%). Although our data have similarities with thosein international reports, the complete profiling of different parameters(cytokine/chemokines, risk factors, epidemiological and clinicalcharacteristics) in the local cases add value by identifying particularitiesthat may be relevant for the management and prognosis duringSARS-CoV2 infection