This might be one of the biggest breakthroughs of the coronavirus pandemic - BGR

A team of doctors has devised a first of its kind COVID-19 severity score to predict the severity of the illness in individuals.

If the Dublin-Boston score proves that it can indeed save more COVID-19 patients, it might be one of the biggest breakthroughs of the coronavirus pandemic so far.

This new prognostic score is calculated using a ratio between two markers of inflammation: interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10).

“Both IL-6 and IL-10 are inextricably linked to cell metabolism, which in turn is influenced by factors such as infection, severe inflammation, hypoxia, and obesity, all of which are encountered in patients with COVID-19 who require hospitalization.”.

The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 markers change in severe COVID-19 cases.

The scientists selected 80 patients for the study, and their treating physicians were blind to the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 or the Dublin-Boston score while attending them.

As with other COVID-19 studies, more research might be required to verify whether the Dublin-Boston score can save lives

“While the Dublin-Boston score and changes in the IL-6:IL-10 ratio both predict clinical outcome and give an insight into the pathogenesis of COVID-19 inflammation, we emphasize that these data alone do not support attempts to manipulate the ratio directly as a therapeutic target

Whether or not it works, researchers will not stop looking for markers that might allow them to predict severe COVID-19 complications