Cytokine Storm, cause of death in critical patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection that causes COVID-19 can trigger an exaggerated reaction of the immune system, called Cytokine Storm, which could cause the serious development of the infection and even the death of patients.  Objective: to describe the phenomenon of the Cytokine Storm in the immune response of the human body to infection by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus as a cause of death in critically ill patients with COVID-19.  Material and methods: a bibliographic review was carried out, where the various theoretical synthesis methods were used and a total of 35 articles were selected in sources such as Scielo, Infomed, national and international medical science journals.  Development: when the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus enters the body, the immune system identifies it and attacks it through antibodies, which try to eliminate the external factor and then go back.  However, in some conditions, there is an overactive immune reaction that causes uncontrolled production of antibodies, which not only attack foreign pathogens, but can become confused and attack healthy cells and tissues of the body, this is known as a storm cytokine, which could explain the severity in which critically ill patients developed COVID-19 disease.  Conclusions: in critically ill patients with COVID-19, an autoimmune reaction is triggered that causes inflammation in various tissues of the body.  The most serious damage occurs in the lung, and these pathophysiologies are expected to be caused by a resulting cytokine storm that disrupts the normal immune response.