Frontiers in Public Health (Nov 2020)

A Non-severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patient With Persistently High Interleukin-6 Level

  • Nurfarah Lydia Hambali,
  • Malehah Mohd Noh,
  • Shahleni Paramasivam,
  • Tock Hing Chua,
  • Firdaus Hayati,
  • Alvin Oliver Payus,
  • Tze Yuan Tee,
  • Khairul Taufiq Rosli,
  • Mohammad Faruq Abd Rachman Isnadi,
  • Benny O. Manin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.584552
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

Read online

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is one of the markers of immune system activation indicating existent infection and inflammation. We present here a case of a 55-year-old male COVID-19 patient with an unusual high level of interleukin 6 (IL-6). Further investigation revealed he had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with underlying hepatitis B. He did not present with respiratory symptoms although a baseline chest x-ray showed changes, and the patient was categorized as Class 3A of COVID-19. Routine investigations proceeded with high-resolution computed tomography and IL-6 to monitor for progression to severe COVID-19. Notably, there was a high IL-6 level but other parameters did not show he was in severe COVID-19. In this report, we conclude that elevated IL-6 level in a COVID-19 patient is not necessarily associated with severe COVID-19.

Keywords