Interleukin 8 serum level in coronavirus disease 2019-infected patients having skin lesions: a case–control study

Objective To measure levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-infected patients with and without skin lesions in El-Bagour Hospital. Background Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in December of 2019, skin lesions have been a clinical sign of COVID-19. Hypercytokinemia (e.g. IL-8) has a vital role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Patients and methods This case–control study was done on 180 participants, including 60 COVID-19-infected patients having skin manifestations and 60 COVID-19-infected patients not having skin manifestations, besides 60 age-matched and sex-matched healthy participants as a control group. The participants comprised those attending El-Bagour Hospital COVID-19 isolation center from March 2020 to March 2021. The assay of IL-8 was done by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Results The mean value of IL-8 was markedly greater in COVID-19-infected patients than the controls (30.55 ± 48.70 vs. 1.85 ± 0.64 ng/ml). The mean value of IL-8 was significantly higher in COVID-19-infected patients with cutaneous manifestations than those without (52.49 ± 61.56 vs. 8.60 ± 3.65 ng/ml). Conclusion The mean value of IL-8 was markedly greater in COVID-19-infected patients, especially severe cases, than the controls and in COVID-19-infected patients with cutaneous manifestations than those without cutaneous manifestations. IL-8 serum value was an excellent marker for prediction of COVID-19-infected patients from the control group and for prediction of COVID-19-infected patients with skin lesions from those without skin lesions.