Table 3.
Comparison of cytokines expression and clinical features in the study population. [*Mann–Whitney test was used to compare non-normal continuous variables. Variables expressed in median and interquartile range (IQR). ¹ characterization considering WHO recommendations13. †Statistically significant. Interleukin/ IL; IFN-γ/ Interferon-gamma; tumor necrosis factor alpha/ TNF-α].
| Variable | Hospitalised with COVID-19 | COVID-19 Severity 1 | N° symptoms in Long Covid | Time of Long Covid, months | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cytokines (n = 202), Median (IQR25-75%) | Yes (= 73) |
No (n = 129) |
P-Value* | Mild/moderate (n = 150) | Severe (n = 52) |
P-Value* | ≤ 6 (n = 191) |
> 6 (n = 11) |
P-Value* | ≤ 3 (n = 28) |
> 3 (n = 174) |
P-Value* | ≤ 6 (n = 56) |
> 6 (n = 146) |
P-Value* | ≤ 12 (n = 133) |
> 12 (n = 69) |
P-Value* |
| IL-17 ª, pg/mL | 12.93 (13.19) | 13.46 (17.98) | 0.67 | 13.24 (17.89) | 14.17 (12.77) | 0.82 | 13.38 (16.91) | 10.51 (11.97) | 0.36 | 12.27 (18.88) | 13.42 (16.69) | 0.81 | 13.31 (16.2) | 13.34 (17.51) | 0.71 | 13.46 (16.74) | 12.65 (13.18) | 0.79 |
| IFN-γ, pg/mL | 9.49 (1.7) | 9.12 (2.13) | 0.21 | 9.13 (1.99) | 9.51 (1.79) | 0.17 | 9.16 (1.96) | 9.79 (1.81) | 0.31 | 8.71 (1.94) | 9.19 (1.95) | 0.49 | 9.18 (1.80) | 9.18 (2.09) | 0.62 | 9.07 (1.85) | 9.67 (2.21) | 0.08 |
| TNF-α, pg/mL | 8.86 (2.02) | 8.50 (2.55) | 0.28 | 8.50 (2.52) | 8.75 (2.09) | 0.39 | 8.51 (2.56) | 8.21 (1.13) | 0.81 | 8.27 (1.90) | 8.53 (2.46) | 0.60 | 8.61 (2.15) | 8.50 (2.48) | 0.78 | 8.51 (2.48) | 8.50 (2.35) | 0.30 |
| IL-10, pg/mL | 8.73 (2.95) | 8.91 (2.88) | 0.67 | 9.07 (2.85) | 8.59 (3.1) | 0.24 | 8.95 (3.03) | 8.33 (2.12) | 0.20 | 8.43 (2.80) | 9 (3.02) | 0.27 | 9.19 (2.74) | 8.77 (3.04) | 0.92 | 9.2 (2.78) | 8.44 (3.05) | 0.04† |
| IL-6, pg/mL | 8.22 (3.11) | 8.06 (3.71) | 0.26 | 8.17 (3.95) | 8.04 (2.8) | 0.75 | 8.13 (3.59) | 8.13 (2.83) | 0.58 | 8.09 (3.57) | 8.13 (3.38) | 0.96 | 7.84 (3.38) | 8.25 (3.50) | 0.87 | 8.13 (3.37) | 8.04 (3.54) | 0.91 |
| IL-4, pg/mL | 7.08 (3.92) | 7.20 (3.56) | 0.80 | 7.20 (3.48) | 6.67 (4.01) | 0.77 | 7.14 (3.93) | 7.14 (1.10) | 0.66 | 6.80 (2.42) | 7.2 (3.86) | 0.28 | 6.66 (3.83) | 7.20 (3.81) | 0.05 | 7.2 (4.02) | 7.14 (3.26) | 0.71 |
| IL-2, pg/mL | 8.32 (1.69) | 8.17 (1.97) | 0.99 | 8.25 (1.84) | 8.20 (2.00) | 0.39 | 8.28 (1.80) | 7.33 (1.38) | 0.02† | 7.75 (2.08) | 8.32 (1.80) | 0.04† | 8.11 (1.93) | 8.31 (1.87) | 0.40 | 8.18 (1.92) | 8.30 (1.63) | 0.36 |