Elsevier

Cytokine

Volume 140, April 2021, 155431
Cytokine

The impact of COVID-19 infection on the cytokine profile of pregnant women: A prospective case-control study

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2021.155431Get rights and content

Highlights

  • COVID-19 infection seems to have an impact on the cytokine profile of pregnant women varying according to pregnancy trimesters and cytokine levels seem to be correlated with disease severity.

Abstract

Objective

To compare the levels of various cytokines between pregnant women with confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection and pregnant women without any defined risk factor.

Materials and Methods

Pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 infection (study group)(n = 90) were prospectively compared to a gestational age-matched control group of pregnant women without any defined risk factors (n = 90). Demographic features, clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, interferon-gamma (IFN γ), interleukin (IL-2), IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 levels were compared between the groups. Additionally, a correlation analysis was performed in the study group for the assessment of IFN γ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 levels with disease severity and CRP levels.

Results

Study group had significantly higher pregnancy complication rate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, IFN γ, and IL-6 values (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the control group had significantly higher hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet, lymphocyte, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-17 values (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the groups for IFN γ, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-17 values between the trimesters (p < 0.05). Statistically significant positive correlations were found for IFN γ and IL-6 with disease severity (r = 0.41 and p < 0.001 for IFN γ and r = 0.58 and p < 0.001 for IL-6). On the other hand, a moderate negative correlation for IL-2 and a weak negative correlation for IL-10 were present (r = -0.62 and p < 0.001 for IL-2 and r = -0.19 and p = 0.01 for IL-10). A statistically significant positive moderate correlation was found between IL-6 and CRP (r = 0.40 and p < 0.001)

Conclusion

COVID-19 infection seems to have an impact on the cytokine profile of pregnant women varying according to pregnancy trimesters and cytokine levels seem to be correlated with disease severity.

Keywords

COVID-19
Pregnancy
Cytokine profile
Interleukin
Interferon

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