Many COVID-19 cases had increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and other infection-related biomarkers.1 The inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6, D-dimer, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, were found to be indicative of severe COVID-19 in reports that emerged from China.2 However, their association with mortality among COVID-19 patients has not been reviewed. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and COVID-19.