Monitoring and Detection of Cytokine Storm: A Review

Abstract The cytokine storm is an exaggerated systemic inflammatory response of the immune cells that results in excessive release of cytokines. This inflammatory state can lead to dysfunction of multiple organs and cause serious damage to the patient’s health. COVID-19 is one of the diseases able to trigger this hyperinflammation, as well as other infectious and non-infectious conditions. In this review article, we discuss the available methods for monitoring cytokines in clinical practice, aiming to improve the understanding of prognostic and therapeutic factors associated with cytokine storm. The literature surveyed in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science databases between 2018 and 2022 reveals various methods of cytokine detection, with the most commonly used being enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), multiplex arrays, bead-based assays, and immunodetection methods. It is important to emphasize the need to monitor specific cytokines for the selection of a personalized and adequate treatment for each patient. Therefore, the study of cytokine storms is an ever-evolving area of research and is essential for improving the understanding and treatment of severe inflammatory conditions. To this end, the incorporation of rapid and accessible methods for detecting the levels of specific cytokines involved is crucial. This necessitates scientific studies that can bring together the information available in the scientific literature.