Clinical characteristics of Egyptian male patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome

PLoS One. 2021 Apr 16;16(4):e0249346. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249346. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and in severe cases associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with ARDS-COVID-19.

Materials and methods: This study involved 197 male Egyptian participants, among them111 COVID-19 patients presented with ARDS, 60 COVID-19 patients presented with non-ARDS, and 26 Non-COVID-19 patients. We reported the analysis results of clinical and laboratory information, including blood routine tests, blood biochemistry parameters [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine and C-reactive protein (CRP)], thrombotic activity (D-dimer) and serum ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

Results: The levels of hemoglobin, AST, creatinine, monocyte count, monocyte %, RBC count, TLC, and platelet count were not significantly different among the groups. The lymphopenia and increased CRP, ALT, D-dimer, ferritin, and LDH were observed in patients with ARDS-COVID-19.

Conclusion: COVID-19 patients with ARDS presented with lymphopenia, increased thrombotic activity, increased CRP, LDH, and ferritin levels. The results revealed that CRP, D-dimer, LDH levels, and lymphopenia have a significant association with the COVID-19 severity and can be used as biomarkers to predict the disease severity.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Alanine Transaminase / metabolism
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • COVID-19 / blood
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Creatinine / metabolism
  • Egypt / epidemiology
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / metabolism
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / blood
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Lymphopenia / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet Count
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / blood
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / virology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
  • fibrin fragment D
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Creatinine
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.