Elevated Levels of IL–1Ra, IL–1β, and Oxidative Stress in COVID-19: Implications for Inflammatory Pathogenesis

<b>Background:</b> The coronavirus-caused disease (COVID-19), first identified in China in December 2019, has spread worldwide becoming a global pandemic. Although people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus presented mainly respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, an increase in cardiovascular incidents was observed in several scientific studies. SARS-CoV-2 virus has been shown to disrupt the normal immune response leading to a dysregulation of immune system function and massive production of inflammatory cytokines commonly known as "cytokine storm". <b>Methods:</b> 57 patients eventually participated in the study, assigned to non-COVID (24 patients) and COVID (33 patients) groups. After signing consent to participate in the study, each patient was given a self-administered questionnaire to fill out prior to specimen collection, anthropometric measurements were taken and venous blood was collected for the following determinations: pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines using a Bio-Plex 200 system, oxidative stress markers and basic hematological blood parameters. <b>Results:</b> showed statistically significant higher values of IL-1Ra and IL-1β in the COVID-19 group. Of the oxidative stress markers, only MDA levels were higher in the COVID-19 group. <b>Conclusions:</b> the results of our study provide evidence and support the occurrence of elevated levels of IL-1Ra, IL-1β and MDA in the COVID-19 group of patients, which are associated with a worse course and prognosis of COVID-19. A better understanding of the pathophysiology and dysregulation of the immune system associated with the cytokine storm is essential to select patients at risk and develop effective drugs and vaccines.