Biomarkers of acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults hospitalised for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection in Tenerife Island, Spain

ObjectiveThe dramatic spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections calls for reliable, inexpensive tools to quickly identify patients with a poor prognosis. In this study, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was assessed within 72 h after admission of each of 153 consecutive, SARS-CoV-2 infected, adult patients to either of two hospitals in Tenerife, Spain, using suitable routine laboratory tests for lymphocyte counts, as well as ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C-reactive protein levels. Results were correlated with the patients' respiratory function, defined through their pulse oximetric saturation/fraction of inspired oxygen (SpO2/FiO2) ratio.ResultsWithin 72 h from admission, criteria matched ARDS (SpO2/FiO2<235) in 13.1% of cases. We found a significant, negative correlation between SpO2/FiO2 ratios and d-dimer, ferritin, and LDH levels (-0.31, -0.32, and -0.41; p=0.004, 0.004, and<0.0001, respectively). In patients with ARDS, the mean LDH was 373 U/L (CI95%: 300.6-445.3), but only 298 U/L (CI95%: 274.7-323.1) when they did not develop the syndrome (p=0.015). None of the additionally evaluated biomarkers correlated with the SpO2/FiO2 ratios. Serum LDH levels in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 correlate with ARDS, as defined by their SpO2/FiO2 ratio, and might help to predict said complication.