Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40328868›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

The common genetic variant rs1278960 determining expression of Interferon-lambda predicts inflammatory response in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Timo Mayerhöfer, Michael Joannidis, Sebastian Klein, Andre Franke, Sara Margarita, Luisa Ronzoni, Elke Pertler, Sonja Wagner, Sabina Sahanic, Ivan Tancevski and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Timo MayerhöferDepartment of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Michael JoannidisDivision of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Sebastian KleinDivision of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Andre FrankeInstitute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
Sara MargaritaPrecision Medicine Lab, Biological Resource Center - Transfusion Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Luisa RonzoniPrecision Medicine Lab, Biological Resource Center - Transfusion Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Elke PertlerDepartment of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Sonja WagnerDepartment of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Sabina SahanicDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Ivan TancevskiDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
David HaschkaDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Christoph HochholdDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Benedikt TremlDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Luca ValentiPrecision Medicine Lab, Biological Resource Center - Transfusion Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Herbert TilgDepartment of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Benedikt SchaeferDepartment of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. benedikt.schaefer@i-med.ac.at.
Heinz ZollerDepartment of Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The single nucleotide polymorphism rs12979860 is associated with the production of IFNλ4, a type III interferon, which offers protection from viral infection via its proinflammatory properties. We investigated if a genetically determined increase in IFNλ4 affects disease progression in SARS-CoV-2. This prospective, single-center study involved critically ill SARS-CoV-2 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. We performed genotyping for rs12979860 and analyzed daily laboratory data. Genotype frequencies were compared with an external validation cohort. Critically ill individuals with COVID-19 (n = 184; 29.3% women) were included. Median age was 63 years. The TT genotype was present in 11%, CT in 48% and CC in 41%. At baseline, CRP, ferritin, transferrin and neopterin did not differ significantly between groups. Longitudinal analysis revealed significant genotype-dependent differences in CRP, ferritin and neopterin with the highest peak in TT patients after 10-15 days. A higher need for renal replacement therapy (31.6% vs. 11.7%, p = 0.044) and mechanical ventilation (22 days vs. 15 days, p = 0.018) was observed in the TT group. The SNP rs12979860 near IFNL4 is associated with distinct inflammatory trajectories in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Genetic determinants of the immune response influence the severity of inflammation and clinical outcomes in severe COVID-19.

Indexed as

COVID-19InflammationInterleukinsPolymorphism, Single NucleotideAgedCritical IllnessFemaleGenotypeHumansInterferon LambdaInterferonsMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Interferon Lambdainterferon-lambda, humanInterferonsInterleukinsFerritinIFNλ4Immune responseInterferon lambda 4Interleukin 28BNeopterinSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID40328868
PMCPMC12056047

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.