The Association of Serum Electrolytes with Disease Severity and Obstetric Complications in Pregnant Women with COVID-19: a Prospective Cohort Study from a Tertiary Reference Center

Abstract

Introduction To evaluate the association of serum electrolytes with disease severity and obstetric complications in pregnant women with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Materials and Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted on pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19. Study population was divided into two groups: 1) Mild COVID-19 group (n = 811) and 2) Moderate/severe COVID-19 group (n = 52). Demographic features, clinical characteristics, obstetric complications, and serum electrolytes were compared between the groups. Afterward, a correlation analysis was performed to investigate the association between serum electrolyte disturbances with COVID-19 severity and obstetric complications. Results Highest serum sodium, hypernatremia, potassium replacement, hypopotassemia, hyperchloremia, initial serum magnesium, hypermagnesemia, and hypocalcemia were significantly higher in the moderate/severe COVID-19 group. The lowest serum sodium, lowest serum potassium, and initial serum calcium were significantly higher in the mild COVID-19 group (p < 0.05). Statistically significant positive weak correlations were found between hypernatremia, hypopotassemia, hyperchloremia, hypermagnesemia, hypocalcemia and COVID-19 severity (r values were 0.27, 0.20, 0.12, 0.18 and 0.12, p values were < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.03, respectively). Furthermore, statistically significant positive weak correlations were found between hypopotassemia, hypochloremia, hypermagnesemia, and obstetric complications (r values were 0.10, 0.10, and 0.28, p values were 0.004, 0.03, and 0.001, respectively). A statistically significant negative weak correlation was found between hypomagnesemia and obstetric complications (r = − 0.23 and p = 0.01, respectively). Conclusion Electrolyte disturbances in pregnant women with COVID-19 seem to be associated with disease severity and obstetric complications.

Electrolyte abnormalities in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients at tertiary referral centers in Tehran: Hypermagnesemia as a marker of fatality: A retrospective cross‐sectional study

“…Currently, limited data is available on the prevalence and significance of serum electrolyte levels in COVID-19 patients. 5,8,9 The current study aims to provide practical information to clinicians on the role of serum electrolyte levels on admission day and the relationships between these parameters and the clinical course of diseases in hospitalized COVID-19.…”

“…3 Although clinical assessment of the patients is critical and indispensable in the management of COVID-19 patients, paraclinical data, including biomarkers and laboratory markers potentially can provide additional information with clinically significant on patient care. 4,5 Potentially laboratory data may play a crucial role in COVID-19 in several issues, including early suspicion of disease, confirmation, and classification of disease severity, identification of high-risk individuals and intensive care unit (ICU) admission criteria, rationalizing the trial therapy, assessing response to treatment, predicting the outcome and identification criteria for discharge of patients. 3,6,7 This laboratory data in COVID-19 patients included a complex of immunological, inflammatory, coagulative cascades, and biochemical panels.…”

“…Since the availability and cost of each test are two important issues in choosing a marker, the best selection of one test and the best time of selection is one of the principles for high‐value care for COVID‐19. Currently, limited data is available on the prevalence and significance of serum electrolyte levels in COVID‐19 patients 5,8,9 …”

“…Currently, limited data is available on the prevalence and significance of serum electrolyte levels in COVID‐19 patients. 5 , 8 , 9…”