Evaluation of Plasma Interlukin-8 (IL-8) Level among COVID-19 Patients at Jabra Hospital for Emergency and Injuries, Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) is a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Its inflammatory characteristics are incompletely understood. However, the lessons learned from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections may uncover some key features of COVID-19 related pathologies. This case control study was conducted during May to October 2021, to evaluate plasma level of IL-8 among COVID-19 patients at Jabra Hospital for Emergency and Injures, Khartoum state, Sudan. Sixty (N= 60) blood specimens were collected from 30 COVID-19 patients confirmed positive by PCR and 30 apparently healthy volunteers confirmed negative for COVID-19 by rapid test cassette, Complete Blood Count was done to all samples then Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbent Assay test was done on plasma samples to evaluate IL-8 antigen level, data collected from patient hospital checklist of case group and structured questionnaire was used to collect both demographic and clinical data from control group. The mean age was 66.33±10.33, 47.47±9.08 of case and control group respectively, both groups were consisted of 18 (30%) males and 12 (20%) females. In case group diabetic patients were 12 (40%), 7 (23.3%) were diabetic and hypertensive, 4 (13.3%) were free of diseases, 2 (6.7%) were hypertensive, 2 (6.7%) were diabetic, hypertensive and asthmatic, 2 (6.7%) had hypertension and stroke and only one (3.3%) was suffered of hypertension and hypothyroidism. The mean of IL-8 level was higher in case than control group (p. value 0.003), statistically there was significant difference in total white blood cells (TWBCs), neutrophils and lymphocytes between case and control group (p. values 0.000). There was no correlation between IL-8 level and TWBCs or neutrophils count (p. value 0.400, 0.093) respectively, but there was correlation between IL-8 and lymphocytes count (p. value 0.032). There was no significant association between mean of IL-8 and gender, age or comorbidity (p. values 0.284 0.196 and 0.148) respectively. In conclusion COVID-19 patients IL-8 levels were higher compared to healthy control group and there was no association between IL-8 level and age, gender, comorbidity, TWBCs and neutrophils while there was correlation between IL-8 level and lymphocytes count.