Cited by 9,664COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchAutoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders Research

COVID-19: consider cytokine storm syndromes and immunosuppression

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Mehta, Puja, McAuley, Daniel F, Brown, Michael, Sanchez, Emilie, Tattersall, Rachel S, Manson, Jessica J·2020·The Lancet

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30628-0

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13 of 13 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • IL-6 is a major player in chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer and cytokine storm.

    “Among them, IL-6 is a major player in chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer and cytokine storm (1, 3, 10–26).”

    From IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [12]

    The main text links elevated IL-6 to fatal COVID-19 cases and discusses IL-6 receptor blockade for cytokine release syndrome, supporting its relevance to cytokine storm. It does not address IL-6's role in chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, or cancer. The supplied copy has no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Severe COVID-19 is a cytokine storm syndrome.

    “Consistent with the notion that severe COVID-19 is a cytokine storm syndrome (12–17, 336), the severity of COVID-19 is associated with an increased level of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and TNFα (333, 337).”

    From IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [12]

    The opening paragraph says that a subgroup of patients with severe COVID-19 might have a cytokine storm syndrome. The concluding paragraph likewise recommends screening severe patients to identify that subgroup. The cited paper does not establish that severe COVID-19 generally is a cytokine storm syndrome. (LLM, conf=0.89)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • ARDS in COVID-19 is considered the result of cytokine storm, resembling the disease caused by SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

    “ARDS in COVID-19 is considered the result of cytokine storm (12–17), resembling the disease caused by SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) (335).”

    From IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [12]

    The main text (page not supplied) says a subgroup of patients with severe COVID-19 might have a cytokine storm syndrome and identifies ARDS as a leading cause of mortality. It does not establish that COVID-19 ARDS generally results from a cytokine storm. The SARS/MERS comparison has a separate citation in the citing sentence and is not judged here. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 infection activate both NF-κB and STAT3, key elements of the IL-6 Amp, to cause cytokine storm.

    “Therefore, SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 infection activate both NF-κB and STAT3, key elements of the IL-6 Amp, to cause cytokine storm (12, 13, 15, 349, 350).”

    From IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [12]

    The paper’s main text (page not available in our copy) says that a subgroup of patients with severe COVID-19 might have a cytokine storm syndrome and reports elevated IL-6 among predictors of fatality. It does not say that SARS-CoV-1 or SARS-CoV-2 activates NF-κB and STAT3, or identify an IL-6 Amp mechanism causing the storm. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • EPA and DHA can lower triglycerides, which helps lower the risk of developing cytokine storms.

    “EPA and DHA can lower triglycerides which help to lower the risk of developing cytokine storms (Mehta et al. 2020).”

    From Production of microalgae with high lipid content and their potential as sources of nutraceuticals (2023) · cites this paper as Mehta et al. 2020

    The HScore table lists triglyceride levels as a diagnostic parameter for secondary HLH, but does not discuss lowering them to prevent cytokine storms. The main text discusses hyperinflammation and immunosuppressive treatments; searches for EPA, DHA, omega-3 fatty acids, and triglyceride-lowering prevention found no supporting passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Mehta, P., McAuley, D. F., Brown, M., Sanchez, E., Tattersall, R. S., & Manson, J. J.
Affiliations
  • University College London (GB)
  • Queen's University Belfast (GB)
  • University College Hospital (GB)
  • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
Corresponding author
Manson, Jessica J
Venue
The Lancet
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-03
Volume
395
Issue
10229
Pages
1033-1034
ISSN
  • 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
  • 0140-6736
OpenAlex
W3012421327
Cited by
9,664
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 152 · 2025: 292 · 2024: 546 · 2023: 895 · 2022: 1493 · 2021: 2714 · 2020: 3555 · 2019: 12 · 2012: 1
FWCI
284.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Lancet (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Boehringer Ingelheim
  • Wellcome Trust
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Bayer
  • Innovate UK
  • National Institute for Health Research
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders Research
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, cytokine storm, hyperinflammation, immunosuppression, severe COVID-19, mortality, antiviral therapy, COVID-19 vaccines
MeSH terms
Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Drug Treatment, COVID-19 Serotherapy, Humans, Immunization, Passive, Immunosuppression Therapy, Immunosuppressive Agents, Inflammation, Pneumonia, Viral, Steroids, Cytokines, Immunoglobulins, Intravenous, Coronavirus Infections, Antirheumatic Agents, Pandemics

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