The following is a summary of “Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN) variants modulate the cytokine release syndrome and mortality of COVID-19,” published in March 2024, issue of Infectious Diseases by Attur et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine how a single nucleotide variant of the IL1RN gene affects cytokine release syndrome (CRS), the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, and the chances of survival.
They studied 2,589 COVID-19 patients hospitalized between March 2020 and March 2021 and examined how specific combinations of genetic variations in the IL1RN gene (rs419598, rs315952, rs9005) relate to inflammation levels and survival rates.
The results showed mortality was 15.3% and lower in women than men (13.1% vs. 17.3%, P=0.0003). Carriers of the IL1RN CTA-1/2 haplotypes exhibited decreased inflammatory markers and increased plasma IL-1Ra relative to non-CTA carriers. Individual SNV IL1RN rs 419598 C/C SNV carriers exhibited lower inflammatory biomarker levels and lower mortality rate (10.0% vs. 17.8%, P=0.052) in men. Mortality in males ≤74 was reduced by 80% (3.1% vs. 14.0%, P=0.030).
Investigators concluded that IL1RN SNVs decreased mortality in men and modulated the severity of coronavirus disease via endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
Source: academic.oup.com/jid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/infdis/jiae031/7625543
