ArticlePloS one2026
Distinct plasma cytokine and chemokine profiles in severe COVID-19 and septic shock.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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11 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundSevere Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and septic shock are both characterized by dysregulated host immune responses. While similarities and differences in immune responses between COVID-19 and bacterial sepsis have been reported, direct comparative analyses remain limited. This study aims to characterize the immunologic status of patients with COVID-19 and sepsis through plasma cytokine/chemokine analysis, thereby providing additional candidates for immunomodulatory therapy for COVID-19.
methodsWe included patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19 or septic shock with lymphopenia, matched for age, sex, steroid administration, and severity. A total of 20 analytes were measured using Luminex assay.
resultsA total of 36 patients were enrolled. Plasma granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) concentrations were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (5.3 pg/ml; IQR, 3.6-16.3 vs 0.0 pg/ml; IQR, 0.0-3.6; P = 0.010). Plasma interleukin-10 (IL-10) (0.0 pg/ml; IQR, 0.0-4.8 vs 28.8 pg/ml; IQR, 7.5-51.7; P = 0.003) and IL-15 (0.0 pg/ml; IQR, 0.0-0.0 vs 0.0 pg/ml; IQR, 0.0-5.6; P = 0.024) levels were significantly higher in the sepsis group. Firth logistic regression analysis showed that plasma IL-6, IL-8, and CXCL16 levels were associated with new organ support in the sepsis group, while IL-15, CXCL16, and IL-1RA levels tended to be associated in the COVID-19 group.
conclusionAt day 7 after diagnosis, both groups exhibited active proinflammatory responses, but only the sepsis group showed prominent anti-inflammatory responses. The persistent elevation of GM-CSF in the COVID-19 group, even with steroid administration, highlights its potential as a therapeutic target and underscores the need for patient stratification in immunomodulatory trials.
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