Prognostic Value of Inflammatory Biomarkers in COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by a variable clinical picture ranging from asymptomatic to severe or even critical forms that can be life-threatening. The biological assessment can also be within the limits of normality, even little disturbed or outright witness of an excessive inflammatory response or a real cytokine storm which would follow the virological phase of the disease. The objective of our study is to evaluate the contribution of inflammatory biomarkers: LDH, procalcitonin (PCT), ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and the level of lymphocytes, in the prediction of mortality in COVID-19 patients. Methods: We collected 79 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 on the basis of a set of clinical, radiological and / or biological arguments, which we divided into two groups: Survivors (N = 45) and deceased (N = 34). All these patients had all the biomarkers measured upon admission. Results: In our study, we found that the levels of the four inflammatory biomarkers studied in our series were elevated in both groups of patients (survivors and decedents), however, the decedents did not have significantly higher levels than the survivors (P >0.05).