Retrospective Evaluation of Hematological Parameters in COVID-19 Patients: Insights From the Emergency Department

TL;DR

This study analyzed blood parameters in COVID-19 patients to find links with disease outcomes, focusing on neutrophil levels.

Contribution

The study identifies neutrophil percentage as a potential indicator for outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Findings

Neutrophil percentage was significantly associated with disease outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Other blood parameters like red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels showed no significant associations with outcomes.

Cox regression analysis found a significant link between neutrophil count and survival outcomes.

Abstract

Background: This retrospective study evaluated hematological parameters in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients to gain clinical insights.

Methods: Data from the Emergency Department of Samtah General Hospital, Samtah, Saudi Arabia, were analyzed, focusing on the parameters measured during hospital admission. This study was conducted between April 2020 and October 2021. Associations between hematological parameters and COVID-19 outcomes were examined in 153 participants, including 23 deceased individuals.

Results: The chi-square test results indicated no significant associations (P >0.05) between sex, body mass index (BMI), age, and disease outcome in the study population. However, a significant association was observed between neutrophil percentage and disease outcome, whereas no significant associations were found for red blood cell count, hemoglobin level, monocyte percentage, eosinophil percentage, and basophil percentage. Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between neutrophil count (considered a categorical covariate) and survival outcomes (P = 0.030). However, specific neutrophil categories (50-70 and >70) were not significantly associated with survival.

Conclusions: Integrating hematological parameters into COVID-19 clinical guidelines and decision-support tools holds promise for enhancing patient care and outcomes.

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