Weathering the COVID-19 storm: Lessons from hematologic cytokine syndromes

Blood Rev. 2021 Jan:45:100707. doi: 10.1016/j.blre.2020.100707. Epub 2020 May 15.

Abstract

A subset of patients with severe COVID-19 develop profound inflammation and multi-organ dysfunction consistent with a "Cytokine Storm Syndrome" (CSS). In this review we compare the clinical features, diagnosis, and pathogenesis of COVID-CSS with other hematological CSS, namely secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH), idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD), and CAR-T cell therapy associated Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS). Novel therapeutics targeting cytokines or inhibiting cell signaling pathways have now become the mainstay of treatment in these CSS. We review the evidence for cytokine blockade and attenuation in these known CSS as well as the emerging literature and clinical trials pertaining to COVID-CSS. Established markers of inflammation as well as cytokine levels are compared and contrasted between these four entities in order to establish a foundation for future diagnostic criteria of COVID-CSS.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cytokine release syndrome; Cytokine storm syndrome; Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis; Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus −2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • C-Reactive Protein / immunology
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / pathology
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Castleman Disease / drug therapy
  • Castleman Disease / immunology*
  • Castleman Disease / pathology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / immunology*
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / pathology
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / virology
  • Ferritins / blood
  • Ferritins / immunology
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / adverse effects
  • Interleukin-1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-1 / blood
  • Interleukin-1 / immunology
  • Interleukin-6 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic / drug therapy
  • Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic / immunology*
  • Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic / pathology
  • SARS-CoV-2 / pathogenicity*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Biomarkers
  • IL6 protein, human
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-6
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Ferritins