Association and Interaction Between Serum Interleukin-6 Levels and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease in Patients With Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019

• DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.604100
• Publication Date: 2021-03-08T06:24:10Z
• Authors: Feng Gao; Kenneth I. Zheng; Hua-Dong Yan; Qing-Feng Sun; Ke-Hua Pan; Ting-Yao Wang; Yong-Ping Chen; Giovanni Targher; Christopher D. Byrne; Jacob George; Ming-Hua Zheng
• Keywords: Interquartile range

Background and Aim Circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-6, a well-known inflammatory cytokine, are often elevated in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Elevated IL-6 also observed patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Our study aimed to describe the association between circulating MAFLD at hospital admission risk severe COVID-19. Methods A total 167 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from three Chinese hospitals were enrolled. IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ measured admission. All screened for by computed tomography. Forty-six diagnosed as MAFLD. Results Patients (n = 46) had higher serum (median 7.1 [interquartile range, 4.3–20.0] vs. 4.8 [2.6–11.6] pg/mL, p 0.030) compared their counterparts without 121). After adjustment age sex, ~2.6-fold having than those age, sex co-morbidities, increased remained associated COVID-19, especially among infected (adjusted-odds ratio 1.14, 95% CI 1.05–1.23; 0.002). There was significant interaction effect ( 0.008). Conclusions illness