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Martonik D, Parfieniuk-Kowerda A, Starosz A, Grubczak K, Moniuszko M, Flisiak R. Effect of antiviral and immunomodulatory treatment on a cytokine profile in patients with COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1222170. [PMID: 37483627 PMCID: PMC10358833 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1222170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The severity of COVID-19 is associated with an elevated level of a variety of inflammatory mediators. Increasing evidence suggests that the Th17 response contributes to the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia, whereas Th22 response plays a regulatory role in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Two main types of available COVID-19 treatments are antivirals and immunomodulatory drugs; however, their effect on a cytokine profile is yet to be determined. Methods This study aim to analyse a cytokine profile in peripheral blood from patients with COVID-19 (n=44) undergoing antiviral or/and immunomodulatory treatment and healthy controls (n=20). Circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and their intracellular expression of IL-17A and IL-22 were assessed by flow cytometry. Results Initial results showed an overexpression of IL-17F, IL-17A, CCL5/RANTES, GM-CSF, IL-4, IL-10, CXCL-10/IP-10 and IL-6 in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls. Treatment with remdesivir resulted in a significant decline in concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-alpha and CXCL10/IP-10. Immunomodulatory treatment contributed to a significant downregulation of IL-10, IFN-alpha, CXCL10/IP-10 and B7-H3 as well as upregulation of IL-22 and IL-1 beta. A combination of an antiviral and immunomodulatory treatment resulted in a significant decrease in IL-17F, IL-10, IFN-alpha, CXCL10/IP-10 and B7-H3 levels as well as an increase in IL-17A and IL-1 beta. We found significantly higher percentage of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells producing IL-17A and CD4+ T cells producing IL-22 in patients with COVID-19. Conclusion Administration of antiviral or/and immunomodulatory treatment resulted in a significant downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and an upregulation of T cell absolute counts in most cases, thus showing effectiveness of treatment in COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 infection induced cytokine overexpression in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 as well as lymphopenia, particularly a decrease in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts. Moreover, despite the reduced counts of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, both subsets showed overactivation and increased expression of IL-17A and IL-22, thus targeting Th17 response might alleviate inflammatory response in severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Martonik
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Anna Parfieniuk-Kowerda
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Starosz
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Immune Regulation, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Kamil Grubczak
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Immune Regulation, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Marcin Moniuszko
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Immune Regulation, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
- Department of Allergology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
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Delgado AC, Cornett B, Choi YJ, Colosimo C, Stahel VP, Dziadkowiec O, Stahel PF. Investigational medications in 9,638 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19: lessons from the "fail-and-learn" strategy during the first two waves of the pandemic in 2020. Patient Saf Surg 2023; 17:7. [PMID: 37041643 PMCID: PMC10088131 DOI: 10.1186/s13037-023-00358-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The early surge of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic introduced a significant clinical challenge due to the high case-fatality rate in absence of evidence-based recommendations. The empirical treatment modalities were relegated to historical expertise from the traditional management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in conjunction with off-label pharmaceutical agents endorsed under the "emergency use authorization" (EUA) paradigm by regulatory agencies. This study was designed to evaluate the insights from the "fail-and-learn" strategy in 2020 before the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and access to reliable insights from high-quality randomized controlled trials. METHODS A retrospective, multicenter, propensity-matched, case-control study was performed on a data registry comprising 186 hospitals from a national health care system in the United States, designed to investigate the efficacy of empirical treatment modalities during the early surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Reflective of the time-windows of the initial two surges of the pandemic in 2020, patients were stratified into "Early 2020" (March 1-June 30) versus "Late 2020" (July 1-December 31) study cohorts. Logistic regression was applied to determine the efficacy of prevalent medications (remdesivir, azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids, tocilizumab) and supplemental oxygen delivery modalities (invasive vs. non-invasive ventilation) on patient outcomes. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Group comparisons were adjusted for covariates related to age, gender, ethnicity, body weight, comorbidities, and treatment modalities pertinent to organ failure replacement. RESULTS From a total of 87,788 patients in the multicenter data registry screened in this study, 9,638 patients were included who received 19,763 COVID-19 medications during the first two waves of the 2020 pandemic. The results showed a minimal, yet statistically significant, association with hydroxychloroquine in "Early 2020" and remdesivir in "Late 2020" with reduced odds of mortality (odds ratios 0.72 and 0.76, respectively; P = 0.01). Azithromycin was the only medication associated with decreased odds of mortality during both study time-windows (odds ratios 0.79 and 0.68, respectively; P < 0.01). In contrast, the necessity for oxygen supply showed significantly increased odds of mortality beyond the effect of all investigated medications. Of all the covariates associated with increased mortality, invasive mechanical ventilation had the highest odds ratios of 8.34 in the first surge and 9.46 in in the second surge of the pandemic (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION This retrospective multicenter observational cohort study on 9,638 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 during revealed that the necessity for invasive ventilation had the highest odds of mortality, beyond the variable effects observed by administration of the prevalent EUA-approved investigational drugs during the first two surges of the early 2020 pandemic in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Delgado
- Department of Surgery, Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree, CO, 80124, USA
| | - Brendon Cornett
- Graduate Medical Education, HCA Healthcare Continental Division, Denver, CO, 80237, USA
| | - Ye Ji Choi
- Graduate Medical Education, HCA Healthcare Continental Division, Denver, CO, 80237, USA
| | - Christina Colosimo
- Department of Surgery, Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree, CO, 80124, USA
| | | | - Oliwier Dziadkowiec
- Graduate Medical Education, HCA Healthcare Continental Division, Denver, CO, 80237, USA
| | - Philip F Stahel
- Mission Health, HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division, Asheville, NC, 28803, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA.
- Department of Specialty Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Rocky Vista University, Parker, CO, 80134, USA.
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Artificial intelligence assessment of the potential of tocilizumab along with corticosteroids therapy for the management of COVID-19 evoked acute respiratory distress syndrome. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280677. [PMID: 36791125 PMCID: PMC9931125 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), associated with high mortality rate, affects up to 67% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Early evidence indicated that the pathogenesis of COVID-19 evoked ARDS is, at least partially, mediated by hyperinflammatory cytokine storm in which interleukin 6 (IL-6) plays an essential role. The corticosteroid dexamethasone is an effective treatment for severe COVID-19 related ARDS. However, trials of other immunomodulatory therapies, including anti-IL6 agents such as tocilizumab and sarilumab, have shown limited evidence of benefit as monotherapy. But recently published large trials have reported added benefit of tocilizumab in combination with dexamethasone in severe COVID-19 related ARDS. In silico tools can be useful to shed light on the mechanisms evoked by SARS-CoV-2 infection and of the potential therapeutic approaches. Therapeutic performance mapping system (TPMS), based on systems biology and artificial intelligence, integrate available biological, pharmacological and medical knowledge to create mathematical models of the disease. This technology was used to identify the pharmacological mechanism of dexamethasone, with or without tocilizumab, in the management of COVID-19 evoked ARDS. The results showed that while dexamethasone would be addressing a wider range of pathological processes with low intensity, tocilizumab might provide a more direct and intense effect upon the cytokine storm. Based on this in silico study, we conclude that the use of tocilizumab alongside dexamethasone is predicted to induce a synergistic effect in dampening inflammation and subsequent pathological processes, supporting the beneficial effect of the combined therapy in critically ill patients. Future research will allow identifying the ideal subpopulation of patients that would benefit better from this combined treatment.
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Zhang H, Lao Q, Zhang J, Zhu J. Coagulopathy in COVID-19 and anticoagulation clinical trials. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2022; 35:101377. [PMID: 36494146 PMCID: PMC9395291 DOI: 10.1016/j.beha.2022.101377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) first emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has caused a global pandemic of a scale unprecedented in the modern era. People infected with SARS-CoV-2 can be asymptomatic, moderate symptomatic or develop severe COVID-19. Other than the typical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 also develop a distinctive systemic coagulopathy, known as COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC), which is different from sepsis-related forms of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Endotheliopathy or endotheliitis are other unique features of CAC. The endothelial cell perturbation can further increase the risk of thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on COVID-19 coagulopathy and the possible mechanisms for the condition. We also discuss the results of clinical trials testing methods for mitigating thrombosis events in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Qifang Lao
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jue Zhang
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jieqing Zhu
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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Bahmani M, Chegini R, Ghanbari E, Sheykhsaran E, Shiri Aghbash P, Leylabadlo HE, Moradian E, Kazemzadeh Houjaghan AM, Bannazadeh Baghi H. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection: Role of interleukin-6 and the inflammatory cascade. World J Virol 2022; 11:113-128. [PMID: 35665236 PMCID: PMC9150027 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v11.i3.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019, a novel coronavirus that represents a serious threat to human lives has emerged. There is still no definite treatment for severe cases of the disease caused by this virus, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). One of the most considered treatment strategies targets the exaggerated immune regulator, and interleukin (IL)-6 is a crucial pro-inflammatory mediator. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases show an elevated level of IL-6 related to disease severity. IL-6 activity can be inhibited by the following: IL-6 itself, IL-6 signaling pathways such as Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT), gp130, IL-6R, and downstream activated ILs, such as IL-17 and IL-6 cytokine. Currently, according to these studies and their results, IL-6 blockade with anti-IL-6 or its receptor antibodies such as tocilizumab in COVID-19 is beneficial in severe cases and may reduce the mortality rate. JAK-STAT inhibitors block the cytokine storm by inhibiting several crucial pro-inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α and IL-6 and have shown various results in clinical trials. IL-6 induces IL-17 secretion, and IL-17 is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory processes. Clinical trials of anti-IL-17 drugs are currently recruiting, and anti-gp130 antibody is preclinical. However, this agent has shown positive effects in inflammatory bowel disease clinical trials and could be tested for SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to review the role of IL-6 in the cytokine storm and studies regarding IL-6 and blockade of its inflammatory pathways in COVID-19 to determine if any of these agents are beneficial for COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohaddeseh Bahmani
- Department of Virology, Student Research Committee, Tabriz Univer-sity of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 15731, Iran
| | - Rojin Chegini
- Department of Medical Science, Metabolic Liver Disease Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81745-33871, Iran
| | - Elham Ghanbari
- Department of Medical Science, Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 67159-59167, Iran
| | - Elham Sheykhsaran
- Department of Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 15731, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 15731, Iran
| | - Parisa Shiri Aghbash
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 15731, Iran
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 15731, Iran
| | | | - Ehsan Moradian
- Department of Medical Science, Medical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5165665931, Iran
| | | | - Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi
- Department of Virology, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 15731, Iran
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