Effect of galectin-3, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-Alpha on disease prognosis and mortality in COVID-19 patients

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, as it causes pneumonia, progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multi-organ failure and even results in death. There is a need for biomarkers that enable us to predict prognosis and mortality in patients without clinical deterioration. In this study, the relationship between galectin-3 (Gal-3), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels and the prognosis and mortality of COVID-19 patients intended to be evaluated. Materials and Methods: A total of 69 COVID-19 patients, 32 outpatients and 37 inpatients, and 19 healthy controls, followed by Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, were included in the study. Gal-3, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α levels were studied in the serum sample taken at the first admission of the patients to the clinic. Demographic data, risk factors, co-morbidities, complaints and vital signs at the time of admission, laboratory values, thorax CT findings, treatment protocols and progressions were recorded in the COVID-19 patients included in the study. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20.0 package program. Results: 47 (53.4%) of the patients were male, mean age was 52.0±16.6(19-92). When the patient and healthy control groups were compared, Gal-3, IL-6, TNF-α were significantly higher in the patient group; When the outpatient and inpatient groups were compared, it was found that IL-6 and TNF-α were higher and Gal-3 was lower in the hospitalized patient group. A subgroup analysis to determine disease severity found higher levels of Gal-3 and IL-6 in critical COVID-19 than in severe COVID-19. In the analyzes performed to predict mortality, Gal-3 and IL-6 in hospitalized patients; IL-6 and TNF-α were found to have diagnostic accuracy in all patients. Conclusion: Delay in treatment in COVID-19 patients is associated with increased mortality. The results of our study showed that IL-6 and TNF-α levels in all COVID-19 patients were determined in the decision of hospitalization and mortality; showed that Gal-3 and IL-6 levels can be used to determine disease severity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Keywords: COVID-19, Galectin-3, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha