Dexamethasone Treatment Considerably Reduces the Levels of Some Inflammatory Cytokines, Lactate Dehydrogenase, and C-Reactive Protein in COVID-۱۹ Pneumonia Patients With Pre-existing COPD

Background: Dexamethasone is the most widely used corticosteroid for treating COVID-۱۹ pulmonary complications. The effects of dexamethasone on serum inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and cortisol, were evaluated in COVID-۱۹ pneumonia patients with pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in this study.Methods: A total of ۳۶ COVID-۱۹ patients with pneumonia who had pre-existing COPD and were critically ill and ۵۶ COVID-۱۹- positive patients without pre-existing COPD were selected. A daily dose of ۶–۸ mg dexamethasone was administered during the hospitalization period. Some inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-۱۰, and IL-۶) and the serum levels of cortisol, LDH, and CRP were measured on admission and one week after hospitalization.Results: TNF-α and IL-۶ concentrations were significantly reduced and IL-۱۰ significantly increased in all COVID-۱۹ pneumonia patients with or without pre-existing COPD as a result of a daily dose of dexamethasone. Also, a significant reduction in cortisol, CRP, and LDH was observed following dexamethasone administration in all COVID-۱۹ pneumonia patients, with or without preexisting COPD, with no correlation with gender, cigarette or waterpipe smoking, or opium abuse.Conclusion: Our results showed a significant increase in TNF-α, IL-۶, IL-۱۰, cortisol, LDH, and CRP and a significant reduction in IL-۱۰ in all critically ill COVID-۱۹ pneumonia patients. Dexamethasone administration significantly reduced cortisol and proinflammatory cytokines and also LDH and CRP as the markers of COVID-۱۹ severity.

کلیدواژه ها:

COVID-۱۹ ، COPD ، dexamethasone ، Inflammatory cytokines ، cortisol ، C-reactive protein ، Lactate Dehydrogenase