Recent breakthroughs show that a certain variant of a key anti-inflammatory gene now protects some men under 75 years old from severe illness and death after being hospitalized from COVID-19. This genetic analysis of blood samples from the hospitalized patients has now shown a particular variant of the anti-inflammatory gene IL1RN, also known as rs419598. This gene confers significant protection against severe illness and mortality. This variant appears to regulate inflammation triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection, thereby mitigating the risk of tissue damage associated with excessive inflammation.

This study was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. It examined over 2,500 patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 at NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital in Manhattan. The male patients who were harboring the specific variant demonstrated an 80% lower mortality rate. They were also less likely to experience a severe form of inflammation.

These findings could now suggest an avenue for therapeutics affected, aimed at modulating inflammation in COVID-19 patients. The elevated levels of anti-inflammatory protein (IL-1Ra) were observed in the patients. The results indicated a promising target for intervention strategies to alleviate the inflammation. This will be researched further to explore the efficiency of the gene in combating the COVID-19 infection and other long-term diseases.

Read the full story here