Laboratory Findings in Different Disease Status of COVID-19 Admitted Patients at Dilla University Referral Hospital Treatment Center, South Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Millions were infected and many were dying because of the coronavirus disease 2019, since its emergence. The patients experience asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe and critical disease with varying signs and symptoms. Decreased lymphocytes and abnormal liver and renal function tests are common among COVID-19 patients. Severe and critical cases show higher number of white blood cells, and neutrophils. However, studies showed different laboratory findings in different disease status. Therefore, this study investigated laboratory findings of COVID-19 admitted patients at Dilla University Referral Hospital treatment center, South Ethiopia.

Methods

A retrospective study design was conducted on 220 patients confirmed by real time polymerase chain reaction, and admitted to Dilla University Referral Hospital treatment center from September 2020 to July 2021. Data were collected from the patients’ record, and analyzed by GraphPad Prism version 8.0.1.244 software. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the frequency while independent t-test was used to compare means of each parameter for each disease status.

Results

Of the 220 study cases, 120 (54.5%) were severe, 89 (40.5%) were moderate and 11 (5.0%) were mild. One hundred forty (71.1%) of the 197 laboratory tested cases, 87 (77.7%) of severe, and 49 (64.5%) of the moderate cases had neutrophils above normal range. However, 134 (68.0%) of them, 82 (73.2%) of severe and 49 (64.5%) of moderate cases showed decreased lymphocyte level. Most of the cases showed an increased level of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and total calcium. There was statistically significant mean neutrophils (p=0.04), number of white blood cells (p= 0.02), and creatinine level (p=0.00) difference between severe and mild cases.

Conclusion

Most of the severe COVID-19 patients showed increased neutrophils, liver function tests; and decreased lymphocytes; suggesting higher inflammation and lymphopenia. Therefore, patients with severe and critical disease status require close follow-up.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• disease status
• laboratory findings

Abbreviations

ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate transaminase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Ca, calcium; Cl, chloride; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; Cr, creatinine; Hct, hematocrit; HDL, high density lipoprotein; HIV, human immuno-virus; IRB, Institutional Review Board; K, potassium; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; LDL, high density lipoprotein; Na, sodium; RBC, red blood cell; RT-PCR, real time polymerase chain reaction; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SNNPR, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region; WBC, white blood cell.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used during this study are available from the corresponding author when required.

Ethics Approval

Ethical approval and waiver consent was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Dilla University College of Medicine and Health sciences under the protocol unique number of duirb/002/21-10, and the permission from treatment center record room for data collection.

Consent

Not applicable as the study was retrospective.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Dilla University Referral Hospital COVID-19 treatment center and Patients’ record room staffs for their cooperation.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received.