Tocilizumab: The Key to Stop Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-Induced Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS)?

The COVID-19 disease is an unprecedented international public health emergency and considerably impacts the global economy and health service system. While awaiting the development of an effective vaccine, searching for the therapy for severe or critical COVID-19 patients is essential for reducing the mortality and alleviating the tension of the health service system. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) induced by elevated interleukin-6 was recognized to underscore the pathology of severe COVID-19 patients. Inhibiting CRS by agents suppressing IL-6 may relieve symptoms, shorten the hospital stay and reduce the need for oxygen therapy. Although evidence from randomized, double-blinded clinical trials is still lacking, the IL-6R inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) has shown some clinical benefits in the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients and have been included in clinical guidelines. In this review, we focused on the possible mechanisms of TCZ in the treatment of CRS and highlighted some significant considerations in the use of TCZ to treat COVID-19 patients.

The Centrality of Obesity in the Course of Severe COVID-19.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global public health challenge. Most patients do not experience severe complications, but approximately 25% of patients progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and the mortality rate is approximately 5-7%. Clinical findings have determined several risk factors for severe complications and mortality in COVID-19 patients, such as advanced age, smoking, obesity, and chronic diseases. Obesity is a common and serious health problem worldwide that initiates a cascade of disorders, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The presence of these disorders is linked to a more severe course of COVID-19. Given the "epidemic" of obesity worldwide and the importance of obesity in the progression of COVID-19, we investigated the mechanisms through which obesity increases the susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19 to support the selection of more appropriate therapies for individuals with obesity.

COVID-19-associated liver injury: from bedside to bench.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been a global challenge since December 2019. Although most patients with COVID-19 exhibit mild clinical manifestations, in approximately 5% of these patients, the disease eventually progresses to severe lung injury or even multiorgan dysfunction. This situation represents various challenges to hepatology. In the context of liver injury in patients with COVID-19, several key problems need to be solved. For instance, it is important to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 can directly invade liver, especially when ACE2 appears to be negligibly expressed on hepatocytes. In addition, the mechanisms underlying liver dysfunction in COVID-19 patients are not fully understood, which are likely multifactorial and related to hyperinflammation, dysregulated immune responses, abnormal coagulation and drugs. Here, we systematically describe the potential pathogenesis of COVID-19-associated liver injury and propose several hypotheses about its etiopathogenesis.

The roles of nausea and vomiting in COVID-19: did we miss something?

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an international public health emergency. Although respiratory symptoms predominate the clinical manifestations of COVID-19, gastrointestinal symptoms have been observed in a subset of patients. Notably, some patients have nausea/vomiting as the first clinical manifestation of COVID-19, which is often overlooked by people. It is now clear that not only the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract could also be attacked by SARS-CoV-2. Its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which acts as a gateway to infection, has been found to be highly expressed in the gastrointestinal epithelium and may lead to the development of nausea/vomiting. Raise awareness of these symptoms and take timely intervention would help people combat the pandemic. This review discussed epidemiology, mechanisms, management, and prevention of COVID-19 related nausea and vomiting.