en Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases Short Communication Short Communication <span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="line-height:14.3pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Background</span></i></b><i><span style="color:blue">:</span></i> Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-&alpha;) produces an inflammatory process and plays a critical role against infection and in the control of viral infection. The present study was conducted to determine the status of serum TNF-&alpha; in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).</span><br> <span style="line-height:14.3pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Methods:</span></i></b> In this cross-sectional study the serum TNF-&alpha; level, sex, and age, were determined in patients with COVID-19. The association between variables was determined using the student t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, multiple logistic regression analysis, and the statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)-18 (p < 0.05).<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:14.3pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Results:</span></i></b> A total of 91 (women 41.75%, and men 58.24%) patients with a mean serum TNF-&alpha; level of 9.9 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL) were considered. In all <span lang="EN-GB">(100%) patients, </span>the TNF-&alpha; serum level was more than the normal limit <span lang="EN-GB">(P=0.95). </span>95.60% of patients suffered severe COVID-19, with a TNF-a serum level of 10.20 pg/mL <span lang="EN-GB">(P=0.87). </span>Mean TNF-&alpha; serum levels in women and men were 11.37 pg/mL and 8.8 pg/mL, respectively (P= 0.17). In the age group of > 70 years (11.30 pg/mL), serum TNF-&alpha; concentration was higher than the other age groups (p>0.05).</span><br> <span style="line-height:14.3pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Conclusion</span></i></b><i><span style="color:blue">:</span></i> A significant proportion of women and men patients with COVID-19 in the middle and old age had a high concentration of serum TNF-&alpha; which may indicate the severity of the disease. Serum TNF-&alpha; level is different in women and men of different ages, so it can contribute to treatment strategies.<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), diabetes, obesity, sex, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) 601 605 http://caspjim.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2423-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mansour Babaei babaeim47@yahoo.com 100319475328460051997 100319475328460051997 No Mobility Impairment Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran 2. Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Behzad Heidari Bheidari6@gmail.com 100319475328460051998 100319475328460051998 No Mobility Impairment Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran 2. Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Mahmoud Sadeghi Haddad Zavareh drm_sadeghihz@yahoo.com 100319475328460051999 100319475328460051999 No Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Zahra Ahmadnia zahraahmadnia237@yahoo.com 100319475328460052000 100319475328460052000 No Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Hossein Ghorbani ghorbani7958@yahoo.com 100319475328460052001 100319475328460052001 Yes Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Samaneh Rouhi roohi.samaneh@yahoo.com 100319475328460052002 100319475328460052002 No Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran