cytokine storm
noun
plural cytokine storms
: the uncontrolled, sometimes life-threatening, excessive release of cytokines (such as chemokines, interferons, or interleukins) in the body from an aggressive, pro-inflammatory immune response resulting from overreaction of the immune system (as to an infectious disease or immunotherapy)
Cytokines are messengers that normally help the body's immune system. But in a cytokine storm far too many are released, and they wind up killing both healthy and diseased cells.—
Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson… a cytokine storm is an SOS signal that causes the immune system to launch its entire arsenal of weapons all at once. This last-ditch, kamikaze attack hurts the virus. But it leaves behind tons of collateral damage. Blood vessels take the brunt of it.—Michaeleen Doucleff
see also cytokine storm syndrome
Michaeleen DoucleffExamples of cytokine storm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Another is a medicine to disrupt the cascade of symptoms known as cytokine storm.
—Daniel Niemann, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
Though researchers don’t fully understand why, some people’s immune systems are also more likely to overreact to COVID (remember the cytokine storm?), which can cause serious symptoms—like fluid in the lungs and shortness of breath—whenever they’re infected.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Sep. 2024
Doing so can unleash a cytokine storm, ramping up inflammation and causing further brain injury.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 18 June 2024
While humans respond to viruses by ramping up immune defense mechanisms, sometimes initiating an inflammatory cytokine storm which can harm our own organs, bats take the opposite approach.
—Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
In very bad cases of heat illness, the gut can lose its integrity, allowing deadly bacteria to leach into the bloodstream, or the heat can set off a frenzy of inflammation known as a cytokine storm.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2023
Reported rates vary, but cytokine storms have since the earliest days of the pandemic been considered a dangerous possibility in severe COVID-19 cases.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 June 2023
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Daniel Niemann, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
Though researchers don’t fully understand why, some people’s immune systems are also more likely to overreact to COVID (remember the cytokine storm?), which can cause serious symptoms—like fluid in the lungs and shortness of breath—whenever they’re infected.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Sep. 2024
Doing so can unleash a cytokine storm, ramping up inflammation and causing further brain injury.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 18 June 2024
While humans respond to viruses by ramping up immune defense mechanisms, sometimes initiating an inflammatory cytokine storm which can harm our own organs, bats take the opposite approach.
—Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
In very bad cases of heat illness, the gut can lose its integrity, allowing deadly bacteria to leach into the bloodstream, or the heat can set off a frenzy of inflammation known as a cytokine storm.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2023
Reported rates vary, but cytokine storms have since the earliest days of the pandemic been considered a dangerous possibility in severe COVID-19 cases.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 June 2023
Dictionary Entries Near cytokine storm
Cite this Entry
“Cytokine storm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cytokine%20storm. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cytokine storm
noun
: the uncontrolled, sometimes life-threatening, excessive release of cytokines (as chemokines, interferons, or interleukins) in the body from an aggressive, pro-inflammatory immune response resulting from overreaction of the immune system (as to an infectious disease or immunotherapy)
Glucocorticoids have been used widely for cytokine storm and respiratory failure in patients with Covid-19; however, there is concern that they may prolong viral shedding and lead to secondary infections.—David A. Berlin et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
David A. Berlin et al., The New England Journal of MedicineThe dead had heavier loads of the virus in more tissues and showed clearer signs of a "cytokine storm"—a lethal overreaction of the immune system.—Debora MacKenzie, New Scientist
see also cytokine storm syndrome
Debora MacKenzie, New ScientistLove words? Need even more definitions?
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