Researchers at multiple institutions found a novel cause of cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients, leading to increased risk of death. By analyzing the genomes of patients who died from COVID-19, they identified around 50 upregulated immune genes that play a role in the hyperinflammatory process. These genes, when overactivated, lead to cytokine storm syndrome and damage multiple tissues. The immune genes in the nasal cavity were found to send signals through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, sparking the immune response into overdrive. Detecting markers of this inflammation in the blood could help identify patients at risk for severe COVID-19 infections. This research may also have implications for long COVID.
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Researchers discover new cause of cytokine storm in COVID-19
