Can Ferritin Levels Predict the Severity of Illness in Patients With COVID-19?

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether ferritin level can predict the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for both patients and caregivers. Many laboratory markers have been used to better understand the causes of poor outcomes and to improve the management of COVID-19 patients. Methods: A total of 93 patients who had a positive polymerase chain reaction test result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were included in this study. Demographic features, comorbidities, clinical and laboratory findings were obtained from the hospital database retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups according to the disease severity as follows: mild group (n = 70) and severe group (n = 23). Results: The median age of the study population was 42.5 (28.3-62.8) with 69.9% male patients. Patients in the severe group were significantly older and showed a higher frequency of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and heart failure in comparison with those in the mild group. In addition, gamma-glutamyl transferase, C-reactive protein, ferritin, interleukin-6, procalcitonin, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were higher whereas albumin level was lower in patients in the severe group. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that ferritin level was the only significant predictor of disease severity (β = 0.487, t = 2.993, p = 0.004). In receiver operator characteristics curve analysis, ferritin level ≥264.5 ng/mL predicted severe COVID-19 with a sensitivity of 73.9% and specificity of 94.2%. Conclusion: Early analysis of ferritin levels in patients with COVID-19 might effectively predict the disease severity.

Vaccine Coverage against Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in Health Sciences Students during COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

“…This may have been due to the fact that the questionnaire did not ask whether they had had the disease before or after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Similar results were found in a study done in Saudi Arabia [41], and another in Helsinki [42].…”

Iron Chelator or Iron Supplement Consumption in COVID-19? The Role of Iron with Severity Infection

“…In a meta-analysis, Henry et al [39] discovered that ferritin levels in hospitalized patients were significantly higher, which could be a predictor for serious disease development. In a study on mild and severe patients, Bozkurt [40] discovered that an AUC of 88 and a cutoff of 264.5 ng/mL for ferritin levels could be used to predict disease severity. Cao et al [41] reported that the cutoff value of 272.5 ng/mL for ferritin levels (AUC = 87.3) could be used in estimating disease severity upon admission.…”

Role of Polypeptide Inflammatory Biomarkers in the Diagnosis and Monitoring of COVID-19

“…Reports that suggest the role of ferritin in COVID-19 prognosis have certain limitations, such as they are not inclusive of all ethnicities, the sample size was not large enough, and only hospitalized cases were studied. Nonetheless an early analysis of serum ferritin levels might help to predict disease severity in COVID-19 patients (Bozkurt et al 2021 ). A possible approach to lower serum ferritin levels is the use of iron chelators.…”