Although inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase blunt PGE2-mediated symptoms such as fever and pain, we conclude that short term use of either aspirin or ibuprofen results in a 'rebound' increase in cytokine-induced cytokine synthesis that is not observed in LPS-induced cytokines.
Aspirin thins blood. In the 1918 flu, many victims had cyanosis, with parts of the body turning purplish due to the cytokine storm. Would aspirin speed this blood leakage?
I’ve read theories about aspirin even causing the severity of the 1918 flu but I do not accept this as it was bad all over the world in many areas where people had no aspirin. It could also kill people very quickly and not every single person would have had aspirin during their illness. It may have harmed an unknown number of people if it was widely used, but could not have been a causative factor world wide.