NLRP3 and COVID-19: Significantly, increased blood viscosity in COVID-19 patients stimulates the release of arginine vasopressin (51), which causes the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines via activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and nod-like receptor pyrin 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, both of which contribute to increased blood viscosity (51).