The Journal of clinical investigation
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The pandemic coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is rapidly spreading across the globe. In this issue of the JCI, Chen and colleagues compared the clinical and immunological characteristics between moderate and severe COVID-19. ⋯ Increased cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α), lymphopenia (in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells), and decreased IFN-γ expression in CD4+ T cells are associated with severe COVID-19. Overall, this study characterized the cytokine storm in severe COVID-19 and provides insights into immune therapeutics and vaccine design.
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Observational Study
Clinical and immunological features of severe and moderate coronavirus disease 2019.
BACKGROUNDSince December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, and is now becoming a global threat. We aimed to delineate and compare the immunological features of severe and moderate COVID-19. METHODSIn this retrospective study, the clinical and immunological characteristics of 21 patients (17 male and 4 female) with COVID-19 were analyzed. ⋯ These potential immunological markers may be of importance because of their correlation with disease severity in COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATIONThis is a retrospective observational study without a trial registration number. FUNDINGThis work is funded by grants from Tongji Hospital for the Pilot Scheme Project, and partly supported by the Chinese National Thirteenth Five Years Project in Science and Technology for Infectious Disease (2017ZX10202201).
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Distinct interferon signatures and cytokine patterns define additional systemic autoinflammatory diseases.
BACKGROUNDUndifferentiated systemic autoinflammatory diseases (USAIDs) present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Chronic interferon (IFN) signaling and cytokine dysregulation may identify diseases with available targeted treatments. METHODSSixty-six consecutively referred USAID patients underwent underwent screening for the presence of an interferon signature using a standardized type-I IFN-response-gene score (IRG-S), cytokine profiling, and genetic evaluation by next-generation sequencing. ⋯ The IRG-S expands the diagnostic armamentarium in evaluating USAIDs and points to different pathways regulating IRG expression. TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov NCT02974595. FUNDINGThe Intramural Research Program of the NIH, NIAID, NIAMS, and the Clinical Center.