TNF and systemic inflammatory response syndrome: However, chronic or excessive inflammation can cause autoimmune damage.111,112 In the early stages of the pandemic, inflammatory cytokine storms were observed in certain COVID-19 patients.113–115 Cytokine storms are also known as inflammatory factor storms or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).116 Excessive immunocyte activation releases large numbers of intracellular inflammatory factors including IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN, and complement protein.