On the other hand, the logistic regression model revealed that the high TNF-ɑ mRNA expression detected in nasopharyngeal swab specimens from COVID-19 patients was the only significant independent predictor of the absence of COVID-19-associated pneumonia, with a robust odds ratio of 0.35 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.88, p = 0.024). Here, TNF is linked to COVID-19.