Hematological Variations in Patients with COVID-19 in Marrakesh, Morocco

Abstract

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease that started as an epidemic in Wuhan, China and turned into a Pandemic infecting over 20M people worldwide and affecting billions of others through measures of social distancing and the socio-economic impacts it brings about. The aim of our study is to determine hematologic biomarkers that could be used in screening for a diagnosis, as well as monitoring the evolution of COVID-19 infections; leading to a more favorable outcome, especially in severe cases. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive and prospective study of 41 patients with RT-PCR positive diagnoses of COVID 19 who in the period from April, 2020 to May 5, 2020, were admitted the Mohamed Sixth University Hospital of Marrakesh. The patients were allocated to two groups according to the severity of the disease. The tests analyzed were white blood cells plasma level’s (WBCs), neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, hemoglobin, platelets, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), D-dimer, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), Ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Results: Of 41 patients with COVID-19 twelve (29.6%) patients were defined as severe cases and twenty-nine (70.4%) were non-severe cases. There were numerous differences in blood routine parameters between the two groups. Compared to non-severe patients, leukocyte count, neutrophil counts, LDH, Ferritin and CRP were significantly higher. There were no significant differences in hemoglobin or lymphocyte counts in between the two groups. As well as APTT and the levels of d-dimers and fibrinogen. Conclusion: The following results prove to be relevant in assessing the disease since they can be used as markers for the more severe cases and allow us to adapt the therapeutic conduct following the needs of each individual patient.