Laboratory test alterations in patients with COVID-19 and non COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia: a preliminary report

Panagiotis Paliogiannis; Angelo Zinellu; Valentina Scano; Giulia Mulas; Giacomo De Riu; Rosa M Pascale; Luigi B Arru; Ciriaco Carru; Pietro Pirina; Arduino A Mangoni; Alessandro G Fois

doi:10.3855/jidc.12879

Laboratory test alterations in patients with COVID-19 and non COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia: a preliminary report

Authors

Panagiotis Paliogiannis Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Angelo Zinellu Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Valentina Scano Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Giulia Mulas Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Giacomo De Riu Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Rosa M Pascale Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Luigi B Arru Operative Unit of Hematology, Center for Stem Cell Transplantation, San Francesco Hospital, Nuoro, Italy
Ciriaco Carru Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Pietro Pirina Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Arduino A Mangoni Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
Alessandro G Fois Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.12879

Keywords:

pneumonia, coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-Cov 2, laboratory, blood tests

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is the greatest pandemic in modern history. Laboratory test alterations have been described in COVID-19 patients, but differences with other pneumonias have been poorly investigated to date, especially in Caucasian populations. The aim of this study was to investigate differences and prognostic potential of routine blood tests in a series of Italian patients with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia.

Methodology: Clinical data and routine laboratory tests of a consecutive series of 30 COVID-19 patients and 30 age and sex matched patients with non COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia have been retrospectively collected. Differences in laboratory tests between patients with COVID-19 and non COVID-19 pneumonias have been investigated, as well as differences between COVID-19 survivors and non survivors.

Results: COVID-19 patients had lower white blood cells, monocytes, neutrophils, and higher platelet counts. In addition, COVID-19 patients showed higher mean platelet volume, lower C reactive protein concentrations, and higher De Ritis ratio. Combined blood cell indexes of systemic inflammation were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients. In further analysis of the COVID-19 group, the neutrophil count, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived NLR, systemic inflammation response index and De Ritis ratio, were significantly higher in non survivors than in survivors, while the number of platelets was significantly lower in non survivors.

Conclusions: Our study showed several alterations in blood cell populations and indexes in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in comparison with patients with non COVID-19 pneumonia. Some of these indexes showed promising prognostic abilities. Further studies are necessary to confirm these results.

Downloads

Published

2020-07-31

How to Cite

Paliogiannis P, Zinellu A, Scano V, Mulas G, De Riu G, Pascale RM, Arru LB, Carru C, Pirina P, Mangoni AA, Fois AG (2020) Laboratory test alterations in patients with COVID-19 and non COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia: a preliminary report. J Infect Dev Ctries 14:685–690. doi: 10.3855/jidc.12879

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 07: July 2020

Section

Coronavirus Pandemic

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).