COVID-19 and Anemia: What Do We Know So Far?

Figures & data

Figure 1. Impact of COVID-19 infection on hemostasis.

Table 1. A summery for laboratory findings related to anemia in COVID-19 patients across studies.

Source	Sample Size	Filter by original study	Hemoglobin (g/L) Normal = 120–160 (65)	Hematocrit (%) Normal = 35.0–47.0 (65)	D-dimer (μg/mL) Normal = <0.5 (66)	Iron (μmol/L) Normal = 10.7–26.7 (67)	Ferritin (μg/L) Normal = 40–200 (67)	Transferrin (mg/dL) Normal = 300 –360 (67)	CRP (mg/L) Normal = <3 (68)
Wu et al. [53]	n = 1	After admission	71	21.6	1.16	–	–	–	2.6 mg/L
	n = 1	After negative PCR	76	22.3	–	–	–	–	–
Bellmann-Weiler et al. [7]	n = 195	No anemia	141 (134–153)	42.0 (39.4–45.0)	–	5.0 (3.7–8.5)	566 (233–1,243)	191 (162–230)	3.42 (0.96–8.17)
	n = 64	Anemia	113 (101–121)	34.0 (30.7–36.0)	–	3.8 (3.0–6.3)	545 (219–954)	154 (129–183)	8.05 (3.47–15.46)
Oh et al. [54]	n = 733	All patients	111.5 (±29.4)	–	4.22 ± 5.33	–	1,716 (±4,713)	153.87 (±57.50)	13.24 (±10.77)
	n = 296 (40.4%)	No severe outcome	112.2 (±29.9)	–	2.75 ± 3.61	–	1,043 (±1,339)	156.60 (±59.98)	8.26 (±7.79)
	n = 437 (59.6%)	Severe outcome	111 (±29.1)	–	5.21 ± 6.03	–	2,142 (±5,891)	151.93 (±54.23)	16.68 (±11.19)
Bergamaschi et al. [41]	n = 277	All patients	120 (22)	35.9 ± (6.0)	–	–	635 (255–1,338)	–	11.47 (6.16–16.33)
	n = 206	COVID-positive patients	118 (23)	35.3 ± (6.3)	–	–	640 (304–1,338)	–	11.50 (6.07–16.78)
	n = 71	Controls	126 (18)	37.6 ± (4.7)	–	–	390 (144–1,265)	–	10.73 (7.03–15.75)
Lanser et al. [55]	n = 645	Total cohort	133 (119–144)	38.4 (34.7–41.7)	–	4.8 (3.5–6.9)	458 (245–1.096)	172 (139–204)	5.06 (2.03–10.17)
	n = 432	Mild disease	134 (122–145)	38.7 (35.3–41.7)	–	5.0 (3.6–7.1)	363 (217–757)	182 (155–214)	3.81 (1.42–7.51)
	n = 117	Severe disease	133 (119–144)	37.7 (34.5–41.9)	–	4.3 (3.1–6.2)	1.103 (436–1.937)	144 (121–182)	10.71 (5.78–16.84)
	n = 96	Death	123 (105–144)	36.2 (31.5–41.1)	–	4.1 (3.2–6.2)	661 (346–1.353)	142 (114–170)	7.61 (3.34–11.92)
Zhou et al. [39]	n = 54	Non-survivor	126.0 (115.0–138.0)	–	5.2 (1.5–21.1)	–	1435.3 (728.9–2000.0)	–
	n = 137	Survivor	128.0 (120.0–140.0)	–	0.6 (0.3–1.0)	–	503.2 (264.0–921.5)	–

Figure 2. Mechanisms of COVID induced Anemia.

Wu C, Chen X, Cai Y, et al. Risk factors associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome and death in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(7):934–943. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.0994.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Bellmann-Weiler R, Lanser L, Barket R, et al. Prevalence and predictive value of anemia and dysregulated iron homeostasis in patients with COVID-19 infection. J Clin Med. 2020;9(8):2429.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Oh SM, Skendelas JP, Macdonald E, et al. On-admission anemia predicts mortality in COVID-19 patients: A single center, retrospective cohort study. Am J Emerg Med. 2021;48:140–147. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.03.083.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Bergamaschi G, Borrelli de Andreis F, Aronico N, et al. Anemia in patients with COVID-19: pathogenesis and clinical significance. Clin Exp Med. 2021;21(2):247. doi: 10.1007/s10238-021-00699-8.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Lanser L, Burkert FR, Bellmann-Weiler R, et al. Dynamics in anemia development and dysregulation of iron homeostasis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Metabolites. 2021;11(10):653. doi: 10.3390/metabo11100653.

 Google Scholar

Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, et al. Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet. 2020;395(10229):1054–1062. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Data availability statement

All generated data are included in this published article.