Biomarkers of severity and outcome among adult COVID-19 positive patients admitted to a tertiary referral hospital

BackgroundSeveral biomarkers were found to predict the severity and outcome of COVID-19 infection.AimsTo determine the associations between laboratory biomarkers with COVID-19 severity and outcome.MethodsA prospective study among confirmed COVID-19 patients aged 18 years old and above for biomarkers, and correlated with severity and mortality.ResultsOf 347 patients, 245 (70.6 per cent) were RT-PCR COVID-19 positive. Patients who were admitted to the ICU had higher levels of WBC count, lymphocytes, neutrophils, N/L ratio, D-dimer, potassium, phosphates, ferritin, CRP, ESR and cortisol, whereas patients who died were older, and had higher levels of N/L ratio, D-dimer, potassium, phosphates, ferritin, CRP, procalcitonin, cortisol, FBS, HbA1c, PTH and number of comorbidities compared to those who survived. Cortisol, FT3, and FBS were the most significant predictor for mortality and ferritin for ICU admission.ConclusionHigh cortisol and blood sugar and low FT3 were associated with higher mortality whereas low haemoglobin and lymphocytes and high N/L ratio, ferritin and D-dimer were associated with ICU admission among COVID-19 (+) patients. The first day biomarkers may provide clues for the eventual outcome and severity among COVID-19 patients. This will facilitate a more focused and aggressive intervention and early ICU admission