Potential biomarkers associated with severity of coronavirus disease 2019

Potential biomarkers for the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID1-9) are not well established. This study aimed to analyze available data on the association between the severity of COVID-19 and common demographical and laboratory parameters in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. 38 ICU patients of Riga East University Hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia were included from 1th of November 2020 till 10th of January 2021. Patient’s demographical data (age, sex, co-morbidities), respiratory support, COVID-19 severity based on blood gas analysis (pO2, lactates) and lung involvement (CT lungs) parallel with laboratory data (leucocytosis (leu), C-reactive protein (CRP), Procalcitonin (PC), Interleukin 6 (Il6), thrombocyte count (Tr), ferritin, fibrinogen, d-dimer plasma levels) were evaluated at admission in ICU (T1) and at the fourth (T4[AO1] ). Correlation of demographical and laboratory data with Covid-19 severity was analyzed. Significance p<0.05. A total of 38 ICU patients were analyses with mean age 63.92 ± 10.78 years (63.15% men, 36.85% woman). Majority (89.47%) of patients had at least one co-morbidity, most often arterial hypertension (47.37%), adiposities I-III (44.73%), diabetes mellitus (34.42%). At T1 respiratory support were provided for all patients: with high flow oxygen mask 15 l/min (14.42%), HFNC (36.84%), NIV (23.68%), invasive ventilation (21.05%) At T4 respiratory support was provided for also all patients: with high flow oxygen mask 10-15 l/min (15.38%), HFNC (34.61%), NIV (26.92%), invasive ventilation (26.92%). The strongest correlation was shown between pO2 and ferritin (0.570 p=0.009) and PC (0.498 p=0.016) at T4 day. We found that higher lactate level at T1 day indicates higher incidence of intubation and mechanical ventilation at T4 day (0.738 p=0.042). Some laboratory parameters (ferritin, PC, lactate) are significantly associated with severity and potential outcomes of COVID-19. These biomarkers might help in prognostic risk stratification of patients with COVID-19.