Since hypoxia is one of the main pathophysiological causes of mortality in patients with COVID-19 and the release of damaged mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is related to the increase of the systemic inflammatory response, we sought to determine the circulating levels of hypoxia inducible factor 1 A (HIF1A) mRNA, a transcription factor that normally is upregulated during hypoxic and inflammatory conditions, and circulating levels of mtDNA, measured as the ratio between nuclear to mitochondrial DNA. The gene discussed is HIF1A; the disease is COVID-19.