Laboratory Parameters in Patients with Moderate and Severe COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021: A Comparative Study

Background: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV 2 virus. Understanding the common laboratory features of COVID-19 in more severe cases versus non-severe patients and its variability over time could be quite useful for clinicians to predict the model of disease progression. Aim and Objectives: To assess the laboratory parameters in patients with COVID-19 and to compare the laboratory parameters of patients presenting in 2020 to 2021. Material and Methods: This was be a single centre, observational, comparative study done on patients with COVID-19 in 571 patients presenting with moderate to severe severity in a tertiary care hospital. This study was conducted over period of one year from July 2020 to June 2021. All enrolled patients underwent inflammation markers C-reactive protein (CRP), D-Dimer, Sr. Ferritin, Interleukin-6 (1L-6), haematological markers (neutrophil, lymphocyte count) Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and High-resolution Computed Tomography (I-IRCT) scan of the thorax. Data were analysed for mean, percentage, standard deviation and chi square test for quantitative data by using SPSS software version 21 (trial version) for analysis and 'p' value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The present study was conducted on 571 patients presenting with moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. A total 279 moderate to severe COVID-19 patients of year 2020 and 292 of 2021 were included and compared in the present study. The IIRCT score, IL-6 level, D-Dimer, serum ferritin, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, total leucocyte count and age had a positive correlation with the severity of the disease in both the year 2020 and 2021. CRP and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) had a positive correlation in 2021. Except NLR, all other parameters had a positive correlation with severity of disease. Conclusion: In the year 2021 there was a trend of relatively younger population being infected often. The correlation of various inflammatory markers with the severity of disease was positive with majority of them demonstrated significant correlation, further supporting their use for disease progression monitoring.

Automated summary

The study evaluated laboratory parameters in COVID-19 patients and compared patients presenting in 2020 to 2021. The findings indicated a positive correlation between various inflammatory markers and disease severity, supporting their use for monitoring disease progression. In 2021, there was a trend of younger population being more frequently infected with COVID-19.