IL-6 Gene (174G/C) Single Nucleotide Polymorphism as an Indicator of COVID-19 Severity in Egyptian Patients
Bsant Safwat Kasem
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta university, Egypt.
Ragia S. Sharshar
Chest Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta university, Egypt.
Wesam Salah Ibrahim
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta university, Egypt.
Hesham Ahmed Elserogy
Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta university, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: The viruses' direct damage plays a part in the disease's beginning, the cytokine storm brought on by COVID-19 is crucial to the emergence of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between IL-6 and its IL- 6 gene (174G/C) single nucleotide polymorphism with the pathogenesis of COVID-19 severity in Egyptian patients.
Materials & Methods: Egyptian patients proved to be COVID-19 positive were classified into three groups; Group 1 (mild cases), Group 2 (moderate cases) and Group 3 (severe and critical cases). Complete blood count, liver function tests, renal function tests, CRP, and coagulation profile, serum ferritin, D-dimer, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase and detection of serum interleukin 6 levels, and IL-6 gene polymorphism were investigated for all enrolled 135 patients.
Results: There was a significant decrease of platelets count of group II & III as compared to group I. There was a significant increase of total leucocytic count, CRP, ferritin, D – dimer, procalcitonin, blood urea and IL6 of group III as compared to group I & II. There was significant decrease of relative lymphocyte counts % of group III as compared to group I & II. There was significant increase of LDH of group II & III as compared to group I. There were no statistically significant differences were found as regards hemoglobin, SGPT, SGOT, serum creatinine and I.N.R & interleukin-6 174G/C distribution of the different studied groups.
There were positive correlations between serum interleukin 6 levels and CORAD scores, ferritin count, LDH, and D- dimer, and blood urea, and only a negative correlation with relative lymphocyte count %.
Conclusion: interleukin-6 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. In addition, it reveals that serum IL6 can be used as a predictor of disease severity in COVID-19 patients, but interleukin-6 174G/C genotype distribution cannot be used as a predictor of disease severity in COVID-19 Egyptian patients.
Keywords: COVID-19 severity, COVID-19 disease's, cytokine release syndrome