Plasma CRP level is positively associated with the severity of COVID-19

Abstract

Aims: The coronavirus disease 2019 is characterized as highly contagious and deadly; however there is no credible and convenient biomarker to predict the severity of the disease. The aim of the present study was to estimate whether the CRP level is able to act as a marker in indicating the severity of COVID-19.Methods: Patients who complained cough or chest pain with or without fever were enrolled after laboratory confirmed of SARS-CoV-2 viral nucleic acid via qRT-PCR. Chest computed tomography (CT) was then performed to classify the patients into mild, moderate and severe pneumonia groups according to the interim management guideline. Then linear regression models were applied to analyze the association between c-reactive protein (CRP) levels and severity of COVID-19 pneumonia.Results: When compared to mild pneumonia, the adjusted-Odds Ratio were 11.46, p = 0.029 and 23.40, p = 0.025 in moderate and severe pneumonia, respectively. The area under receiver operation curve was 0.898 (95% CI 0.835, 0.962, p < 0.001). Higher plasma CRP level indicated severe COVID-19 pneumonia and longer inpatients duration. Conclusions:The level of plasma CRP was positively correlated to the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia. Our findings could assist to discern patients of moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia from the mild ones. Our findings may be useful as an earlier indicator for severe illness and help physicians to stratify patients for intense care unit transfer.

Virus discharge and initial gastrointestinal involvement are negatively associated with circulating lymphocyte count in COVID-19

“…Higher CRP level has been reported as positively related to the severity of lung injury and COVID-19 severity by other researchers (12,13). However, in our study, no signi cant correlation between plasma CRP level and the risk of initial GI involvement has been found in this study ( Table 1).…”

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with severe COVID-19 in Jiangsu province, China: a retrospective multicentre cohort study

“…Age, comorbidities, c-reactive protein, albumin, cytokine, lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, albumin, platelet, lymphocyte, neutrophil, smoking, cough, expectoration, chest pain, dyspnea, CT manifestations, et al, have been reported to be associated with the severity of COVID-19 in some small studies in China, [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] and other countires. 13,22,23 Jiangsu, a province in China over 600 km from Hubei without common geographical borders and 80 million population, reported over 600 patients infected with COVID-19.…”

Do Laboratory Biomarkers Predict Survival in Severe COVID-19? A Cross-sectional Study

“…The association of CRP with poor outcomes in COVID-19 has already been reported by Li et al, Feng et al, Chen et al and Wang. 7,8,19,20 Research suggests that CRP is one of the most important biomarkers to predict the prognosis of COVID-19. 10 The serum ferritin increased from the baseline in survivors and non-survivors, but the rise in both groups was not signi cant.…”

“…6 Apart from gender, age, blood groups, and co-morbidities, a plethora of laboratory markers have been investigated to predict the course and outcome of the disease. [7][8][9][10] Infection with SARS CoV-2 leads to the release of cytokines and chemokines from monocytes, lymphocytes and macrophages resulting in an in ammatory response. 11 The common laboratory parameters which are supposed to be linked with worse outcome in COVID-19 include C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), D-dimer, brinogen, Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Cardiac Troponin, lymphocyte count, serum ferritin, serum amyloid A (SAA) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).…”