Cytokine Levels in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19 and Other Conditions

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Abstract
An abnormally strong proinflammatory response known as “cytokine storm” may play an important role in the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although cytokine storm remains ill defined.1 Sinha and colleagues2 reported that although IL-6 levels are elevated in severe COVID-19, they are lower than levels usually observed in (non–COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, this comparison is limited by the use of different assays, which are not well standardized.3 We compared cytokine levels in critically ill patients with COVID-19 vs levels in patients with other critical illnesses.