# Determination of Serum Levels of Interleukin-6 and the Trace Element Zinc According to the Clinical Status of Patients With COVID-19

## TL;DR

This study found that ICU patients with severe COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of IL-6 and zinc compared to less severe cases.

## Contribution

The study identifies elevated IL-6 and zinc levels in ICU patients with severe COVID-19, linking these biomarkers to disease severity.

## Key findings

- ICU patients had 168.5 pg/mL of IL-6, significantly higher than non-hospitalized patients (2 pg/mL).
- Zinc levels were highest in ICU patients (3402.5 μg/dL) compared to other groups.
- ICU patients showed higher lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase levels than non-ICU hospitalized patients.

## Abstract

In the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the present study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics and serum levels of IL-6 and zinc in patients with COVID-19 according to their clinical condition in a hospital in Lima, Peru. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the clinical condition of the disease, the group of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit, hospitalized patients who did not require intensive care unit, COVID-19 patients who did not require hospitalization, and a control group. It was determined that 64.8% of the patients evaluated were men. Patients hospitalized in the ICU were 11.25 times more likely to have a cough and 36.7 times more likely to have a fever compared to the control group. In the group of hospitalized patients who did not require ICU, the presence of cough was 9.44 times higher than in the control group. The lowest IL-6 values were obtained in the group of COVID-19 patients who did not require hospitalization (2 pg/mL) and the highest in the ICU group (168.5 pg/mL). On the other hand, the highest values of the micronutrient zinc were also obtained in the ICU group (3402.5 μg/dL). In this group, the highest values of lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase were also found with statistical significance compared to the group of hospitalized patients who did not require ICU. In conclusion, patients with COVID-19 in the ICU had higher levels of IL-6 and zinc compared to the other groups. This group also had the highest levels of lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase compared to the group of hospitalized patients who did not require ICU care.