Cytokine Profiles of Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris who Experienced Acute Respiratory Infection with COVID-19

Abstract

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, developing hyper-inflammatory reactions, can be a trigger factor for the manifestation or exacerbation of psoriasis in people who have undergone this infection. According to the scientific literature, patients with psoriasis are more likely to be infected with a coronavirus infection than the healthy population. However, they tolerate it in a milder form. At the same time, there have been reported exacerbation cases of the psoriatic process during the active phase of the disease and after experiencing COVID-19. AIM: The purpose of the study is to analyze the profiles of cytokines interleukin (IL)-17, IL-10, IL-8. IL-6, IL-4, and IL-1b in patients with psoriasis vulgaris and patients with psoriasis who contracted COVID-19. METHODS: We examined two groups of patients: The first group – 46 patients with psoriasis vulgaris in the period of exacerbation of the disease; the second group – 15 patients with exacerbation of psoriasis who contracted a mild or moderately severe coronavirus infection. The control group consisted of 15 conditionally healthy donors. The levels of cytokines IL-1b, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17a, IL-4, and IL-10 in the blood of patients and practically healthy individuals were determined by the enzyme immunoenzymatic method, using the “Human ELISE Kit” reagent sets (Fine Biotech., China), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The difference between the study groups was assessed using the Mann–Whitney U-test. The results were considered significant at p < 0.01. All calculations were carried out using Microsoft Excel (Office 365). RESULTS: Psoriasis patients who have contracted COVID-19 had higher levels of IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-8 in their blood than patients with psoriasis vulgaris. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 in the blood of patients with psoriasis may be a trigger factor for acute psoriasis in patients who have suffered from COVID-19.