Scientists review macrophage activation syndrome — a feature of the cytokine storm that kills patients with severe cases of COVID-19, as well as possible treatments.
A significant percentage of COVID-19 cases are severe enough to warrant admission to hospital for monitoring and treatment. A substantial number of these patients die from the disease after appearing to respond well to treatment.
The major cause of these deaths is a phenomenon called the cytokine storm, which occurs when hyperactivation of immune cells leads to a large amount of cytokines (cell signalling molecules), which in turn trigger systemic hyperinflammation.
