Article
Open Access
Volume 5 · Issue 4 · 2025
pp. 153–161
Cytokine and Chemokine Profiles in COVID-19: Why Did Conventional Inflammatory Markers Outperform Cytokines?
Onur Alkan1 
, Naci Şenkal2 , Alpay Medetalibeyoğlu2 , Murat Köse2
, Naci Şenkal2 , Alpay Medetalibeyoğlu2 , Murat Köse2
1
Department of Medical Oncology, Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye
2
Department of Internal Medicine İstanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
Objectives: Dysregulated inflammation drives severe COVID-19. Cytokine profiling has been proposed for risk stratifica-tion. Its value over conventional markers is unclear. We compared admission cytokine and chemokine levels in mild and severe COVID-19. We also examined why routine markers may outperform cytokines.
Methods: This single-center cross-sectional study enrolled 78 adults with confirmed COVID-19. Patients were classified as mild or severe using WHO criteria at emergency admission. Serum IL-13, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, macrophage inflam-matory protein-1 beta, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were measured. Demographics, routine laboratory markers, and cytokines were compared between groups.
Results: Thirty-two patients had mild disease and 46 had severe disease. Cytokine and chemokine levels were numeri-cally higher in severe disease. None of these differences were statistically significant.
Conclusion: Conventional inflammatory and tissue-injury markers tracked severity better than single-time-point cy-tokine measurements. Standalone cytokine profiling at admission may offer limited value. Larger studies with serial sampling, broader panels, and adjustment for confounders are needed.
Methods: This single-center cross-sectional study enrolled 78 adults with confirmed COVID-19. Patients were classified as mild or severe using WHO criteria at emergency admission. Serum IL-13, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, macrophage inflam-matory protein-1 beta, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were measured. Demographics, routine laboratory markers, and cytokines were compared between groups.
Results: Thirty-two patients had mild disease and 46 had severe disease. Cytokine and chemokine levels were numeri-cally higher in severe disease. None of these differences were statistically significant.
Conclusion: Conventional inflammatory and tissue-injury markers tracked severity better than single-time-point cy-tokine measurements. Standalone cytokine profiling at admission may offer limited value. Larger studies with serial sampling, broader panels, and adjustment for confounders are needed.
Keywords: COVID-19, cytokines, chemokines, disease severity, MCP-1, MIP-1β
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