THE ROLE OF IL-6 AND IL-1 IN COVID-19 DISEASE PROGRESSION: THE IMPACT OF GENDER-BASED DIFFERENCES, BMI VARIABILITY AND CO-MEDICATIONS
AIDA-ISABELA ADAMESCU 1,2, CĂTĂLIN TILIȘCAN 1,2*, LAURENȚIU MIHĂIȚĂ STRATAN 1,2, NICOLETA MIHAI 1,2, OANA-ALEXANDRA GANEA 1,2, VICTOR DANIEL MIRON 1,2, SEBASTIAN CIOBANU 1,3, VICTORIA ARAMĂ 1,4, ȘTEFAN SORIN ARAMĂ 1,2
1 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
2 “Matei Balș” National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Bucharest, Romania
3 Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
4 “Alessandrescu Rusescu” National Institute for Mother and Child Care, Bucharest, Romania
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The immune response to COVID-19 has gained significant attention due to its potential association with disease severity. This study assessed the relationship between IL-1 and IL-6 levels and COVID-19 severity, considering factors such as age, gender, BMI, comorbidities and co-medications. A cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted on 329 patients with confirmed COVID-19, stratified by disease severity. Serum levels of IL-1 and IL-6 were measured at the time of admission. No significant correlation was found between elevated IL-1 levels and disease severity. Conversely, IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in severe cases. The association between IL-6 and disease severity was more pronounced in patients with lower BMI. Gender differences were noted, with men exhibiting more severe outcomes. IL-6 appears to be a more reliable predictor of disease severity than IL-1 in COVID-19 patients, particularly those with lower BMI. Gender-specific immune responses and the impact of age on cytokine production highlight the complexity of immune regulation in COVID- 19. Further research is needed to explore the therapeutic potential of targeting IL-6 and other cytokines and the effects of medications on disease severity.
