Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its associated
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to be a serious public health threat. As of this
writing in February 2022, more than 400,000,000 people worldwide have been infected by
SARS-CoV-2, and over 6,000,000 have died. SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious and can lead to
multiple-organ failure, mainly triggered by respiratory failure. The most severe cases of COVID19 often involve a cytokine storm, which is an important factor in multiple-organ failure.
This report gives an overview of the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the
pathological characteristics and the pathophysiological mechanism of COVID-19 related cytokine
storms. The current understanding of COVID-19 treatment is also discussed. Understanding the
mechanism of a cytokine storm and the available treatment options is essential to reduce
mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
