Study of the Role of Serum Interleukin-6 in Inflammation among Pregnant Women with COVID-19
Background: COVID-19 disease is generally susceptible to all age groups, including newborns to the elders. However, the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women has not been studied well and drawn much attention regarding maternal morbidity, mortality, and perinatal outcomes. Aim:The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of interleukin-6 serum level in inflammation in covid-19 pregnant women. Patients and methods: A prospective study done in Tikrit city from 1st of January to the end of September 2022. The study included 140 pregnant who attending Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Salah Al-din General Hospital were followed up in until their delivery (70 pregnant women with Covid-19 infection and 70 healthy pregnant women as control group). Patients were declared as COVID-19 suspects if they exhibited at least one of the primary symptoms of the disease, namely fever (>37.8 °C), shortness of breath, cough, loss of taste and smell, or diarrhea. Blood samples were collected from each for determination of interleukin-6, lactate dehydrogenase, Ferritin and C-reactive protein and complete blood count. Results: The study showed that, the highest mean levels of interleukin-6 was found in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and the lowest mean was in Healthy Pregnant women (3.58±1.28 pg/ml), (P:0.001). The study also showed that WBC, Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum Ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase significantly elevated in Pregnant women with COVID-19 infection while mean platelets count was reduced significantly in Pregnant women with COVID-19 infection. The study demonstrated that high rate of women with pregnancy complication (33.33%) were with preterm delivery, 26.67% with preeclampsia, 13.33% with low birth weight /Still birth and 6.67% with each of gestational diabetes and missed abortion. The study demonstrated that most of women with pregnancy complications (preterm delivery, preeclampsia, and missed abortion) were recorded among pregnant women with severe COVID-19 infection . The study showed that, of interleukin-6 was significantly elevated in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and Pregnancy complication (19.21±2.45 pg/ml) and the lowest mean was in without Pregnancy complication (16.48±1.92 pg/ml), (P:0.021). The study also showed that Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum Ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase significantly elevated in Pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and Pregnancy complication infection. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that most of women with pregnancy complications (preterm delivery, preeclampsia, and missed abortion) were recorded among pregnant women with severe COVID-19 infection and interleukin-6, Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum Ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase significantly elevated in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and Pregnancy complication and the low mean was in without Pregnancy complication.