Does systemic immunosuppression influence the course of
COVID-19?
Immunosuppression is a double-edged sword in viral
infections.72 Patients receiving systemic immune
suppression (e.g. , chemotherapy) at the time of infection tend to
develop a severe form of the disease. There are conflicting results
regarding systemic corticosteroid treatment but their usage is not
generally recommended in viral infections.49,73,74However, CSS treatment requires systemic immune suppression. Therefore,
immune suppression may facilitate viral infection but, at advanced
stages of infection, it may be beneficial to counteract immunopathology
due to excessive inflammation or CSS.