Small RNA-seq analysis of serum miRNAs in patients with severe COVID-19

The clinical course of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) displays a wide variability, ranging from completely asymptomatic forms to diseases associated with severe clinical outcomes. To reduce the incidence COVID-19 severe outcomes, innovative molecular biomarkers are needed to improve the stratification of patients at the highest risk of mortality and to better customize therapeutic strategies. MicroRNAs associated with COVID-19 outcomes could allow quantifying the risk of severe outcomes and developing models for predicting outcomes, thus helping to customize the most aggressive therapeutic strategies for each patient. Here, we analyzed the circulating miRNA profiles in a set of 12 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, with the aim to identify miRNAs associated with in-hospital mortality. MicroRNA expression profile obtained from small RNA-sequencing of serum samples of 12 COVID-19 patients (6 survivors, 6 deceased) with multifocal interstitial pneumonia and requiring oxygen therapy.