Tocilizumab
- July 8, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Tocilizumab
Subject: Science and Technology
Context:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the use of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) blockers — tocilizumab and sarilumab — as part of COVID-19 management protocol.
Concept:
IL-6
- IL-6 is an inflammatory marker that is responsible for a cytokine storm in the body, mostly in the second phase of COVID-19 infection.
- When the immune system mounts a fight against SARS-CoV-2, at times, it starts attacking the body’s other systems. This process is known as inflammation. The inflammation is followed by a drop in oxygen saturation levels (hypoxia) and other complications.
- An increase in IL-6 levels may lead to a progression of the disease towards a severe form.
- Tocilizumab is IL-6 blocker was the drugs to be included in the WHO recommendation .It has issues of affordability and accessibility
- Corticosteroids also help in fighting inflammation.
Cytokine storm
- A cytokine storm is the hyper-reaction of the immune system, which then starts attacking the patient’s own organs and can prove fatal.
- Cytokines are signaling proteins that are released by cells at local high concentrations.
- It is characterized by the overproduction of immune cells and the cytokines themselves because of a dysregulation in the process.