Comparative Evaluation of Systemic Immune Indexes in Infants Born to COVID-19 PCR Positive and Negative Mothers - Can Neonatal Effects Be Predicted?

Abstract

Aim:The Coronavirus disease-2019 , declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, is a condition caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2, and the number of cases is increasing day by day. The aim of this study is to investigate the differences in systemic inflammatory indices of newborn babies born to COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive mothers, who constitute a sensitive population during the COVID-19 pandemic period, compared to the normal population. Materials and Methods:Between March 2019 and November 2021, in Ankara City Hospital, newborns who were born at ≥37 weeks of gestation to COVID-19 PCR positive mothers in the two weeks before birth and whose COVID-19 PCR tests were negative and were given usual care with mothers, basal hematological parameters were compared by taking healthy newborns born to COVID-19 PCR negative mothers at ≥37 weeks of gestation in the control group. Results:The rate of cesarean delivery was higher in the group (n=86) of babies of COVID-19 PCR positive mothers (p<0.05). Considering the hemogram parameters, total white blood cell, neutrophil, and hemoglobin/hematocrit counts were lower in the control group (n=94), and platelet/ plateletcrit values were higher (p<0.05). Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and systemic immune-inflammation index were statistically significantly higher in the infants of COVID-19 PCR-positive mothers, neutrophilia and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio was determined as independent predictive variables in logistic regression analysis (p=0.048 and p=0.011).Results: Vertical viral transmission was not observed in babies born to COVID-19 PCR positive mothers. Compared to the control group, it was thought that the high neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and neutrophilia in babies born to COVID-19 PCR positive mothers might be due to maternal cytokine release. Our study will shed light on further research for the elaboration of this situation and longer follow-up.