Background Many laboratory parameters have been associated with morbidity and mortality in SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19), which emerged in an animal market in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and has infected over 20 million people. This study investigated the relationship between serum interleukin (IL)‐18, IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1Ra), and alpha defensin levels and the clinical course and prognosis of COVID‐19. Materials and Methods This study included 100 patients who were admitted to the chest diseases department and intensive care unit of our hospital and diagnosed with COVID‐19 by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nasopharyngeal swab samples between March 24 and May 31, 2020. The control group consisted of 50 nonsymptomatic health workers with negative real‐time PCR results in routine COVID‐19 screening in our hospital. Results Serum alpha defensin, IL‐1Ra, and IL‐18 levels were significantly higher in patients who developed macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) compared to patients who did not ( p < .001 for all). Alpha defensin, IL‐1Ra, and IL‐18 levels were significantly higher in COVID‐19 patients with and without MAS or ARDS when compared to the control group ( p < .001 for all). When the 9 patients who died were compared with the 91 surviving patients, IL‐1Ra and IL‐18 levels were found to be significantly higher in the nonsurvivors ( p < .001). Conclusion Our findings of correlations between alpha defensin and levels of IL‐1Ra and IL‐18, which were previously shown to be useful in COVID‐19 treatment and follow‐up, indicates that it may also be promising in treatment.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is one of the most pressing health problems of this century, but our knowledge of the disease is still limited. In this study, we aimed to examine serum‐soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM‐1) levels based on the clinical course of COVID‐19. Our study included 102 patients over the age of 18 who were diagnosed as having COVID‐19 between September 2020 and December 2020 and a control group of 50 health workers over the age of 18 whose severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) PCR results were negative. KIM‐1 was measured by ELISA and suPAR by suPARnostic™ assay. Analysis of previously identified variables of prognostic significance in COVID‐19 revealed high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, lactose dehydrogenase, prothrombin time, C‐reactive protein, PaO 2 /FiO 2 , D‐dimer, ferritin, and fibrinogen levels in patients with severe disease ( p < 0.05 for all). KIM‐1 and suPAR levels were significantly higher in COVID‐19 patients compared to the control group ( p = 0.001 for all). KIM‐1 level was higher in severe patients compared to moderate patients ( p = 0.001), while suPAR level was lower ( p = 0.001). KIM‐1, which is believed to play an important role in the endocytosis of SARS‐CoV‐2, was elevated in patients with severe COVID‐19 and may be a therapeutic target in the future. SuPAR may have a role in defense mechanism and fibrinolysis, and low levels in severe patients may be associated with poor prognosis in the early period.

The COVID‐19 pandemic, which has ravaged our world for more than a year, still shapes our agenda with a scale of intensity that fluctuates over time. In our study, we aimed to determine the correlation between serum migration inhibitory factor (MIF) level and disease severity in COVID‐19 with different prognoses. Between 15 October 2020 and 20 January 2021, 110 patients over the age of 18 who were diagnosed with COVID‐19 and 40 volunteer healthcare personnel were included in our study. MIF levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. In the comparison of serum MIF values in the patient and control group, it was observed that the MIF level was significantly higher in patients with both moderate and severe COVID‐19 levels compared to the control group ( p = 0.001, 0.001). In the comparison of serum MIF values of moderate to severe COVID‐19 patients, it was observed that MIF level was higher in severe patients ( p = 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis performed to differentiate between severe and moderate COVID‐19 patients with MIF levels, the area under the curve was observed as 0.78. When the cutoff value of the MIF level was taken as 4.455 ng/ml, the sensitivity was 83% and the specificity was 62%. Failure to adequately balance the pro‐inflammatory cytokines synthesized in COVID‐19 with anti‐inflammatory effect is the most important reason for the aggravation of the disease course. Playing a role in pro‐inflammatory cytokine synthesis, MIF can provide important information about the disease prognosis in the early period.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening medical emergency. The etiology of ARDS can involve various causes. ARDS associated with the use of iodinated contrast media is rarely reported, and the literature includes only one case of ARDS due to gadobutrol. A 46-year-old female patient presented to our emergency department with shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling of the lips, and difficulty swallowing about 30 minutes after undergoing magnetic resonance imaging with 6.5 ml (0.1 ml/kg) gadobutrol (Gadovist) contrast for a submandibular mass. She was treated for anaphylaxis, then immediately evaluated using chest x-ray and arterial blood gas analysis. Based on the findings, she was diagnosed with ARDS and started on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilatory support and methylprednisolone at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day. On day 3 of follow-up, all symptoms had completely regressed.

In addition to the highly variable clinical presentation of acute COVID-19 infection, it can also cause various postacute signs and symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate patients with postacute COVID-19 over 12 weeks of follow-up. The study included 151 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time polymerase chain reaction of a nasopharyngeal swab 1 month earlier, had radiologic findings consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia, and presented to the post-COVID-19 outpatient clinic between May and August 2021. The patients were divided into three groups based on COVID-19 severity: nonsevere pneumonia (Group 1), severe pneumonia (Group 2), and severe pneumonia requiring intensive care (Group 3