Researchers discover predictors of COVID-19 severity, survival

Editor's Note

In this study from Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine, New York City, researchers identify two markers of inflammation that reliably predict the severity of COVID-19 and likelihood of survival. A total of 1,484 patients were followed up to 41 days after admission, and the findings were validated in a second cohort of 231 patients.

The researchers examined four cytokines (ie, proteins) that circulate in the blood and are commonly associated with infections. They found two, IL-6 and TNF-α, that were able to predict which patients were likely to develop more severe forms of COVID-19 and die.

Patients whose blood levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were elevated on admission fared the worst, a finding that was independent of underlying medical conditions, age, gender, clinical biomarkers of disease severity such as low blood oxygen saturation, and common markers related to inflammation, iron levels, and blood clotting.

The findings suggest that these cytokines should be monitored in the management and treatment of COVID-19 patients to stratify prospective clinical trials, guide resource allocation, and inform therapeutic options, the researchers say.