Authors: de Melo AF, Homem-de-Mello M
PMID: 32792018 PMCID: PMC7424130 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-020-03228-3
Abstract
The complete mechanism of action of the SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear. The severity of the disease is probably linked to the “cytokine storm” that leads to the acute respiratory distress syndrome. Cytokine storm is an overwhelming increase of several inflammatory markers at once, and it is a cause of severity in some conditions such as sepsis, acute pancreatitis, and multiple sclerosis, among others.
These conditions, characterized by a variety of inflammatory etiologies, have the common prognostic of hemodynamic abnormalities, multiple organs failure, and high mortality rates. Treatment of cytokine storm associated syndromes usually focuses in this environment: intensive care of hemodynamic parameters, uphold of damaged organs, and supervision of coagulopathy. The main cause of the cytokine induction, however, must yet be treated and is the main reason why in bacterial sepsis antibiotics are used.
Keywords: vitamin C, cytokines, cytokine storm, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2
