IL6 and lymphopenia: The IL-6 central role in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is supported by the evidence that elevated IL-6 levels correlate with lymphopenia, higher viral load, hypoxemia, systemic inflammation, and poor outcomes [48], and it is confirmed by the fact that polymorphisms inactivating the IL-6 receptor gene have been revealed to be protective against COVID-19 progression, reducing the risk of hospitalization in these patients [49].