Could IL-6 predict the clinical severity of COVID-19?

Abstract

Objectives: An excessive inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 is thought to be a major cause of disease severity in COVID-19. The aim herein was to determine the prognostic value of IL-6, and demonstrate the comparison between IL-6 and related parameters in COVID-19. Methods: Data were collected from 115 COVID-19 patients. Results: The median age was 46.04 years in the mild group, 56.42 years in the moderate group, and 62.92 years in the severe group (p=0.001). There was a significant difference in the hospitalized clinic to intensive care unit ratio among the patients (p<0.001). The IL-6 values were significantly higher in the severe group than those in the mild (p=0.04) and moderate groups (p=0.043). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for IL-6, as predictor of severe clinical condition, was 0.864 (95% CI 0.765-0.963 p=0.000). The longitudinal analyses showed that the severe group presented with significantly increased IL-6 levels during hospitalization. Conclusions: IL-6 seemed to be a guide in the early diagnosis of severe COVID-19 and an ideal marker for monitoring negative outcome.