Effect of Pentoxifylline on Prognosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID- 19) Infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a threatening pandemic, due to its rapid transmission, uncertain risk factors for progression that lead to its lethality and yet unsatisfactory antiviral therapy or prophylaxis. The respiratory system remains the most frequently affected by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2), with patients either presenting mild illness as well as more severe complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that necessitates admission in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Unfortunately, the remaining patients progress to a second phase-called the inflammatory stage-featuring ARDS, thromboembolic events, and myocardial acute injury. These clinical exacerbation latter predicts poor prognosis associated with an exacerbation of the immune system cascade; a phenomenon known as "cytokine storm". In the context of COVID-19, the hyper inflammation diagnostic criteria are partly defined. Early studies of patients with COVID-19 established independent associations between biomarkers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, interleukin \[IL\]-6, ferritin and D-dimer, and severe disease states that require respiratory support or result in death. The aim of this study was to identify practical blood immune- inflammatory biomarker / ratio that could be used alternatively to IL-6 for predicting severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) in clinical practice. Another aim is to unveil the association of the pro-inflammatory profile as categorized by the IL-6 levels in patients infected by SARS-COV-2, with disease severity and outcomes of COVID -19.