Sang JC, Musyoki SK, Injera WE, Karani LW, Maiyoh GK. Cytokine immune profiles among COVID 19 patients with different disease severities seeking treatment at Moi teaching and referral hospital, Kenya.
Cytokine 2025;
190:156917. [PMID:
40117838 DOI:
10.1016/j.cyto.2025.156917]
[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: 06/23/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2025] [Accepted: 03/11/2025] [Indexed: 03/23/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
COVID-19 manifests with a wide range of severities, from asymptomatic to critical conditions. Immunological profiles in patients positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may serve as early indicators of disease severity, aiding in prioritizing patient care.
METHODOLOGY
Archived patient plasma samples were retrieved from the Molecular Lab Bio-repository, ensuring equal representation of males, females, and various disease severities. Socio-demographic and disease severity data were obtained from patient health records. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interferon-gamma [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-2 [IL-2], and interleukin-17 [IL-17]) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-4 [IL-4], interleukin-6 [IL-6], and interleukin-10 [IL-10]) were measured using the BD FACSCalibur flow cytometer. Data analysis involved comparing cytokine levels across different disease severities, with demographic data expressed as means ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.
FINDINGS
The mean ages for males and females were 49.6 ± 22.7 and 48.4 ± 23.7, respectively. Mean ages for disease severity categories were 33 ± 19 (asymptomatic), 45.2 ± 21.5 (moderate), 56.8 ± 18.7 (severe), and 61.95 ± 22 (critical). Comorbidities were present in 25 % of patients, with cardiovascular disease (41 %) and pulmonary disease (31 %) being the most common. Predominant symptoms in critical patients included dyspnea (63 %) and myalgia (60 %), while rhinorrhea (46.2 %) and chest pain (45.7 %) were common in severe cases. Gastrointestinal symptoms were observed only in severe and critical groups. Levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17) increased linearly with disease severity. Among anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-10 levels also rose significantly with increasing severity.
CONCLUSION
Levels of TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-6 correlated with disease severity and may serve as prognostic biomarkers. Advanced age and underlying comorbidities were independently associated with higher disease severity.
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