ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INTERLEUKINS 1β, 6 AND 8 AND POST-COVID CONDITION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WITH META-ANALYSIS AND EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF RISK FACTORS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/ybqxd808Keywords:
Biomarkers, post-COVID condition, long COVID, inflammatory markers, public healthAbstract
Post-COVID-19 (PCC) is characterized by the persistence of symptoms after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and is associated with sustained inflammatory mechanisms. This systematic review with meta-analysis evaluated the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 in individuals with PCC, comparing them to healthy controls and recovered individuals without persistent symptoms. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024610712) and conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Observational studies that assessed serum or plasma concentrations of these cytokines were included. Methodological quality was analyzed using validated instruments, and the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% CI was estimated using fixed-effects or random-effects models. Twenty-five studies, totaling 3,927 participants, were included. Individuals with PCC presented significantly higher levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 compared to healthy controls. Compared to recovered individuals, only IL-1β remained significantly elevated. Analyses showed moderate to high heterogeneity among outcomes. Subgroup analyses suggested an influence of age and severity of acute infection. The findings support the hypothesis of persistent inflammation in PCC, highlighting IL-1β as a potential biomarker associated with symptomatic persistence.
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