Biomarker Profiles Associated with COVID-19 Severity and Mortality

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Understanding SARS-CoV-2 infection severity and progression is crucial.
• Identifying predictive biomarkers aids in patient management and prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze biomarkers for predicting SARS-CoV-2 infection severity and progression.
• To differentiate immune responses between ward and ICU admitted patients.

Main Methods:

• Inclusion of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients admitted to ward or ICU.
• Collection of clinical data, blood samples, lung function tests, and CT scans at multiple time points.
• Measurement of various cytokines and lung fibrosis biomarkers (YKL-40, KL-6).

Main Results:

• Higher IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 in ICU patients; higher IL-17, IL-8 in ward patients.
• Elevated YKL-40 and KL-6 levels in non-survivors.
• Negative correlation between YKL-40, KL-6 and lung function (FVC, FEV1, DLCO) post-discharge.

Conclusions:

• Distinct cytokine profiles (Th2 vs. innate/Th1/Th17) correlate with COVID-19 severity.
• YKL-40 and KL-6 are associated with COVID-19 mortality and impaired lung function recovery.