Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major health concern and can be devastating, especially for
the elderly. It causes a systemic inflammatory response, involving dysregulation and misexpression of many
inflammatory cytokines.
Objectives: To assess the cytokine profile in COVID-19 patients and detect its relation with disease severity.
Patients and methods: This study included 50 COVID-19 patients confirmed by reverse transcription–polymerase
chain reaction (RT-PCR), of whom 20 with severe pneumonia, 20 with moderate and 10 with mild disease, and 50
healthy control. Quantitative ELISA tests were performed for tumour necrosis factor alfa (TNF-α) and intercellular
adhesion molecule1 (ICAM-1).
Results: Level of ICAM-1 is higher in cases of COVID-19 than healthy controls (median for cases = 420 ng/ml). Also
TNF-α level is higher in cases with a median of 165 both levels were higher in CORADS 6 and positively correlated
with CT findings.
Conclusion: Patients with severe COVID-19 might have a cytokine storm syndrome and increased expression of
endothelial cell adhesion molecules as ICAM-1, which is related to COVID-19 and disease severity and may contribute
to coagulation dysfunction. Levels of ICAM 1 were associated with more severe CT findings and longer hospital stay,
also ICAM 1 and TNF can be used as diagnostic measures as they have a higher sensitivity specificity and predictive
values.