Significant Association of Interleukin-6 Polymorphism and Clinical Data with COVID-19 Severity in the Southwest of Iran

• Published in: Genetic testing and molecular biomarkers Vol. 29; no. 7; p. 202
• Main Authors: Sheykhi-Sabzehpoush, Mohadeseh, Khodadadi, Ali, Sharifat, Moosa, Haddadzadeh Shoushtari, Maryam, Raji, Hanieh, Ghadiri, Ata A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2025
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alleles; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - genetics; Female; Gene Frequency - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Humans; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Iran - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; SARS-CoV-2; Severity of Illness Index; Iran; COVID-19; genetic; polymorphism; risk factor; IL-6; clinical data
• ISSN: 1945-0257
• DOI: 10.1089/gtmb.2025.0075

Genetic predisposition is an important factor related to the enhancement of inflammation or immune responses in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to explore the association between the IL-6 (rs1800795) polymorphism and COVID-19 severity in the southwest of Iran. We evaluated these variants in 100 patients with moderate and 100 patients with severe COVID-19 using an (Amplification Refractory Mutation System Polymerase Chain Reaction) ARMS-PCR assay. In addition, we collected clinical characteristics of patients to assess their association with the severity of COVID-19. Statistically, the significance in the present evaluation was < 0.05. Our findings showed a significant association with the SNP-174G/C of the IL-6 gene between the moderate and severe groups of COVID-19 patients under the dominant and codominant genetic models ( = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively). The frequency of the G allele was notably higher in the severe group compared to the moderate group ( = 0.02). Also, the rs1800795 genotypes, as well as the patients' age and gender ( = 0.13 and 0.31, respectively), were detected. Additionally, we confirmed a significant correlation between clinical data known as risk factors for COVID-19 severity. Taken together, understanding the risk factors associated with the increased severity of COVID-19 may provide the opportunity for early and useful intervention in individuals at higher risk.