Vol 5, No 4 (2020)
Research paper
Published online: 2020-10-28

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Can hematological and biochemical parameters fasten the diagnosis of COVID-19 in emergency departments?

Burak Katipoğlu1, Leyla Öztürk Sönmez2, Hülya Vatansev3, Nalan Yüce1, Mustafa Sabak4, Lukasz Szarpak567, Togay Evrin1
Disaster Emerg Med J 2020;5(4):175-181.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The primary aim of the study was to compare the laboratory and radiological parameters of COVID-19 positive and negative patients confirmed by Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), and Chest Computed Tomography (CCT) of patients admitting with the suspicion of COVID-19. The secondary purpose of the study was to find objective parameters to speed up the clinician for further examination, treatment or referral decision in COVID-19 suspicion.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 61 COVID-19 suspected patients were evaluated in the study. Swab samples were taken for RT-PCR analysis. CCT was taken for 42 patients who described dyspnea. According to CCT and RT-PCR results, the patient population was divided into 2 groups as COVID-19 positive group (n = 32); and COVID-19 negative group (n = 29). Between two groups; demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological parameters were compared.

RESULTS: Male gender (p = 0.03), PLR value (p = 0.021) and CO-RADS scores were higher in the COVID-19 positive group. Oxygen saturation (SaO2) (p = 0.027) and PCT, WBC, Neutrophil count, Lymphocyte count values were significantly low in COVID-19 positive group (p = 0.03, p = 0.001, p = 0.017, p = 0.021, respectively). PLR showed a positive correlation with fever, CRP, neutrophil count and NLR, which are indicators of inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS: SaO2, WBC, lymphocyte count, neutrophil count and low PCT levels, and PLR elevation showed a significant difference in COVID-19 patients in our retrospective cohort study examining the Turkish population. We believe that these results will allow clinicians to make quick decisions in patient management more simply.

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