The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has led to significant mortality in hospitalized patients in most affected parts of the world. In the United States, New York emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic, with New Jersey following as the state with the greatest number of cases. 1 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of May 2020, in Pennsylvania, there have been more than 57 000 reported cases with the majority of cases in Philadelphia County, which has also seen more than 850 associated deaths. 2 Among patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19, disease severity also varies, with age and comorbidities associated but not fully accountable for poor outcomes. The pathophysiology of disease as well as the mechanisms