The new coronavirus has invaded the world for nearly a year now (Representation)
Washington:
Most adults with moderate to severe COVID-19 have a suppressed immune response against the new coronavirus rather than potentially fatal hyperinflammation, study suggests that steroids such as dexamethasone should be reserved for the most severe patients. sick.
Scientists, including those at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States, assessed levels of immune system protein cytokines and other health markers in 168 adults with COVID-19, 26 adults flu and 16 healthy volunteers.
They said more than 90% of COVID-19 patients had been hospitalized and about half in intensive care unit (ICU), while more than half of influenza patients were admitted for treatment and 35% in nursing unit. intensive care.
According to the research, published in the journal Science Advances, less than 5% of COVID-19 patients, including some of the sickest people, had the potentially fatal hyperinflammatory immune response known as cytokine storm syndrome.
The researchers explained that cytokine storms develop when excessive or abnormally regulated levels of cytokine proteins in the body cause hyperinflammation and tissue damage.
While dexamethasone and other steroids are prescribed to treat cytokine storms, they said these drugs can work against patients whose immune response is already suppressed.
“We identified a subset of COVID-19 patients with the largely upregulated cytokine array. But, overall, the average person with COVID-19 had less inflammation than the average person with the flu. “said study co-author Paul Thomas of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Based on the results, the scientists said that treatment that suppresses inflammation could only be effective in a minority of patients with a hyperinflammatory profile.
They believe the need of the hour is a fast, reliable, and inexpensive test to measure cytokines and identify patients most likely to benefit from dexamethasone treatment.
“Directing immunosuppressive therapies towards the small subset of COVID-19 patients who have an overactive immune response is the only way to know if these approaches are ultimately useful,” said Philip Mudd, another co-author of the study from the Washington University School of Medicine in the United States.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
