INTERLEUKIN-6; IL-6

INTERLEUKIN-6 / IL-6 IS A MEMBER OF THE CYTOKINE FAMILY WITH A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE ACTIVATION & REGULATION OF IMMUNE RESPONSE. CYTOKINES PLAY SEVERAL IMPORTANT ROLES IN THE BODY BUT ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS BEEN GIVEN MUCH IMPORTANCE AS IT TRIGGERS INFLAMMATORY CASCADE WHERE A COORDINATED AND SEQUENTIAL IMMUNE RESPONSE IS ACTIVATED. CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME (CRS) IS A SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY INFECTION AND CERTAIN DRUGS. IL-6 IS A KEY MOLECULE IN CRS AND IS NOW BEING USED TO MONITOR ITS RESPONSE IN COVID PATIENTS. IT CAN BE USED AS A PREDICTOR FOR PATIENTS WITH HIGHER RISK OF DISEASE DETERIORATION. HIGH LEVELS OF CYTOKINES INDUCED BY SARS-COV-2 VIRUS REQUIRES TIMELY TREATMENT TO REDUCE LUNG DAMAGE VIA INFLAMMATION, THEREBY IMPROVING RECOVERY RATES AND REDUCING MORTALITY.