Medical and Biochemical Characteristics Predictors for Severe COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disorder 2019 (COVID-19) has been a unique virus due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that initially appeared in Wuhan and is subsequently extended globally. In severely affected cases, COVID-19 has a high fatality rate. Objective: The aim of the current study was to identify the medical and biochemical characteristics predictors for severe COVID-19. Patients and methods: A total of 150 admitted patients at Marjan Hospital, Babylon were enrolled in the current study. The recruited patients were divided into 3 groups: Health control with no COVID-19 (n=50), non-diabetic patients with COVID-19 (n=50), and diabetic patients with COVID-19 (n=50). Laboratory investigation for all participants included ALT, AST, CRP, D-dimer, glucose, and serum albumin. The diagnosis and severity of COVID-19 was confirmed by CT scan. Results: The mean age of the healthy control was 55.31 (SD 0.32) years, meanwhile the mean age of nondiabetic patients with COVID-19 was 54.23 (SD 0.21) years, with no statistical significant difference. Non-diabetic patients with COVID-19 had higher levels of AST, ALT, total bilirubin, ALP and CRP compared with the health control groups with P-value <0.001. Compared with the health control, diabetic COVID-19 patients had statistical significant increase in serum urea, serum creatinine, serum glucose and CRP. Conclusion: Age >52 years and high C-reactive protein, AST, ALT, ALP, D-dimer, or albumin are predictors for the development of COVID-19 to severe state.