TNF and Hypoalbuminemia: More severe cases, generally defined by hospitalization, intubation, and/or mortality, can also exhibit dyspnea, lymphopenia, and hypoalbuminemia with concomitant increases in the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß) (1, 2).