The impact of COVID-19 infection on the cytokine profile of pregnant women: A prospective case-control study

Objective: To compare the levels of various cytokines between pregnant women with confirmed coronavims disease (COVID-19) infection and pregnant women without any defined risk factor. Materials and Methods: Pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 infection (study group)(n = 90) were prospectively compared to a gestational age-matched control group of pregnant women without any defined risk factors (n = 90). Demographic features, clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), interleukin (IL-2), IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 levels were compared between the groups. Additionally, a correlation analysis was performed in the study group for the assessment of IFN gamma, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 levels with disease severity and CRP levels. Results: Study group had significantly higher pregnancy complication rate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Creactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, IFN gamma, and IL-6 values (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the control group had significantly higher hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelet, lymphocyte, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-17 values (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the groups for IFN gamma, IL-2, IL10, and IL-17 values between the trimesters (p < 0.05). Statistically significant positive correlations were found for IFN gamma and IL-6 with disease severity (r = 0.41 and p < 0.001 for IFN gamma and r = 0.58 and p < 0.001 for IL-6). On the other hand, a moderate negative correlation for IL-2 and a weak negative correlation for IL-10 were present (r = -0.62 and p < 0.001 for IL-2 and r = -0.19 and p = 0.01 for IL-10). A statistically significant positive moderate correlation was found between IL-6 and CRP (r = 0.40 and p < 0.001) Conclusion: COVID-19 infection seems to have an impact on the cytokine profile of pregnant women varying according to pregnancy trimesters and cytokine levels seem to be correlated with disease severity.

Automated summary

The study found that COVID-19 infection affects the cytokine profile of pregnant women, varying according to pregnancy trimesters, and cytokine levels appear to be correlated with disease severity.