CCL18, CHI3L1, ANG2, IL-6 systemic levels are associated with the extent of lung damage and radiomic features in SARS-CoV-2 infection

期刊论文
发表日期：

2024年2月3日

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Ilaria Ferrigno,
Laura Verzellesi,
Marta Ottone,
Martina Bonacini,
Alessandro Rossi,
Giulia Besutti,
Efrem Bonelli,
Rossana Colla,
Nicola Facciolongo,
Elisabetta Teopompi,
Marco Massari,
Pamela Mancuso,
Anna Maria Ferrari,
Pierpaolo Pattacini,
Valeria Trojani,
Marco Bertolini,
Andrea Botti,
Alessandro Zerbini,
Paolo Giorgi Rossi,
Mauro Iori,
Carlo Salvarani,
Stefania Croci

摘要

Objective and design

We aimed to identify cytokines whose concentrations are related to lung damage, radiomic features, and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Material or subjects

Two hundred twenty-six patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and chest computed tomography (CT) images were enrolled.

Methods

CCL18, CHI3L1/YKL-40, GAL3, ANG2, IP-10, IL-10, TNFα, IL-6, soluble gp130, soluble IL-6R were quantified in plasma samples using Luminex assays. The Mann–Whitney U test, the Kruskal–Wallis test, correlation and regression analyses were performed. Mediation analyses were used to investigate the possible causal relationships between cytokines, lung damage, and outcomes. AVIEW lung cancer screening software, pyradiomics, and XGBoost classifier were used for radiomic feature analyses.

Results

CCL18, CHI3L1, and ANG2 systemic levels mainly reflected the extent of lung injury. Increased levels of every cytokine, but particularly of IL-6, were associated with the three outcomes: hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, and death. Soluble IL-6R showed a slight protective effect on death. The effect of age on COVID-19 outcomes was partially mediated by cytokine levels, while CT scores considerably mediated the effect of cytokine levels on outcomes. Radiomic-feature-based models confirmed the association between lung imaging characteristics and CCL18 and CHI3L1.

Conclusion

Data suggest a causal link between cytokines (risk factor), lung damage (mediator), and COVID-19 outcomes.