Clinical manifestations, comorbidities and blood counts as markers of severity in COVID-19 patients in Babylon Province

Abstract

Objective: With the pandemic of COVID-19 and increasing number of patients all over the world including our country (Iraq), there is a need to investigate the clinical features, comorbidities and hematological parameters for risk stratification.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involved 151 patients diagnosed as COVID-19 by Polymerase chain reaction. Data were studied regarding the effect of demographic features, comorbidities and blood indices including neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, platelet, hemoglobin, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte monocyte ratio and platelet lymphocyte ratio on disease severity.

Results: Mean age of patients was 37. 8 ± 18. 77, 4 patients were health workers, 79. 5% gave history of contact with infected patients. Most common symptoms were fever 90. 1%, cough 84. 8% and shortness of breath 31. 1%. 78. 8% had normal neutrophil count,71. 6% had normal lymphocyte count, 87. 5% had normal platelet count, 82. 1% had positive results for C-reactive protein. Disease was significantly more severe with increasing age, smoking, presence of shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of smell and more severe in the presence of comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, respiratory disease, renal disease, heart disease and malignancy) and more severe with decrease platelet counts and increase neutrophil lymphocyte ratio.

Conclusion: Most patients give history of contact reflecting wide spread of disease. Neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet counts are of little value for confirming the disease. More care needs to be taken when deal with patients whom they have increasing age, smoking, shortness of breath, presence of comorbidities and increase neutrophil lymphocyte ratio.