Useful for detection of COVID-19 due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Useful for the detection and quantification of severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); useful for serial monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in the upper respiratory tract of individuals receiving antiviral or immune therapy. For more information, contact us.
Useful for detection of IgG-class antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Useful for aiding the identification of individuals with an adaptive immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), indicating recent or prior infection. For more information, contact us.
Measurement of Angiotensin II (Ang II) and Angiotensin (1-7) (Ang 1-7) might be useful in the evaluation of drug candidates that alter the renin-angiotensin system and might be useful in treatment of cardiovascular diseases or coronavirus infection.
This testing is useful for understanding the etiology of infectious or chronic inflammatory diseases, when used in conjunction with clinical information and other laboratory testing. This testing can be used for research studies in which an assessment of cytokine reponses is neeeded.
In addition to the risk of toxicity from HCQ, hemolysis has been reported in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency during the post-approval use of hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets, USP. While patients receiving HCQ do not routinely need G6PD levels checked before initiating therapy, testing should be considered in patients who are of Mediterranean, African, or Asian descent.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an antimalarial drug that is currently FDA-approved for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), malaria, and rheumatoid arthritis. In laboratory tests, hydroxychloroquine can prevent the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses from attaching to and entering cells. If these antiviral abilities work the same way in animals and humans, the drug could be used to treat patients and limit the number of COVID-19 deaths. Dosage recommendations vary based on clinical indications, and the long terminal elimination half-life of HCQ should be considered. Accumulation of HCQ occurs in multiple organs and can result in mild to severe toxicity. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can be used as an objective measure to effectively manage patients prescribed HCQ.
Severe COVID-19 patients are characterized by a higher baseline IL-6 level compared to non-severe infections. In critically ill patients with COVID-19, IL-6 levels were almost tenfold higher. While it is not clear whether elevation in IL-6 has a causal association with pro-inflammatory damage of the lungs or is just a consequence of the lung infection, attempts at blocking IL-6 by using monoclonal antibodies directed against IL-6 receptors have garnered interested as a potential therapeutic option.
One of the most characteristic changes in COVID-19 patients is lymphopenia. In addition to total lymphocytes, T cells (CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells), B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells are all decreased in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls. These cell counts correlate with severity and also normalize in post-treatment patients who recover. For severe cases of COVID-19, further analysis may be required and experts in Mayo Clinic’s Cellular and Molecular Immunology Laboratory are available for further discussion.
Tocilizumab is a recombinant humanized IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor. Tocilizumab is approved for treatment of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) associated with CAR T-cell therapy. It is also being investigated for treatment of CRS in other clinical situations.