Cytokine Storm

Cytokine Storm and Laboratory TestingEducational Resources for you

Background

While most people with COVID-19 exhibit mild symptoms, approximately one in five develop severe pneumonia.1 Of severe COVID-19 patients, approximately 5% develop a systemic dysregulated cytokine response.1,2 This extreme immune response, called cytokine storm (CS), is associated with severe COVID-19 disease and can cause widescale cellular and organ tissue damage.

The use of inflammation, tissue and organ damage biomarkers can help clinicians understand the severity of the disease and implement timely interventions for COVID-19 patients at risk for CS.

High serum levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were found in patients with severe COVID-19.3,4 IL-6 levels were higher in COVID-19 patients with severe disease.3,5   

Inflammation markers

IL-6

IL-8

IL-1ß

IL-2 R

TNF-α

IL-10

Tissue and organ damage in patients with CS can be monitored with a variety of laboratory tests.6


Tissue and organ damage markers, such as:

ALT

PCT

AST

CREA

BIL

CYS C

LDH

SAA

CRE KIN

cTnI

PT/INR

CRP

D-DIMER

FERR

Siemens Healthineers has a robust menu of inflammatory markers (including a key marker, IL-6) and other lab tests to assess tissue and organ damage. Some or all uses of the analytes described have not been approved or cleared by the FDA. 

Educational Resources

cytokine-storm-syndrome-key-Inflammation-markers-infographic

Testing for Key Inflammation Markers


SARS-CoV-2-and-IL-6-illustration

Watch the webinar on demand today

Dr. Randy Cron discusses criteria for identifying cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) in patients, complications, and available potential treatments, which include glucocorticoids but also targeted therapies that dampen pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6.

Speaker:
Randy Cron, MD, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham


covid-19-IL-6-MLO-article

Read the article at MLO

The authors cover the cause and symptoms of COVID-19 and how severe cases can relate to cytokine storm. Also discussed is IL-6 and its potential predictive value for COVID-19 severity.