Potential Laboratory Markers in COVID-19 Patients with Gastrointestinal Impairments as Prognosticators of the Disease Severity

Ahmadi, Nayebali; Shahali, Maryam; Alamdary, Ashkan; Gholami, Alireaza; Moukhah, Rasul; Hossein Tehrani, Mohammadjavad; Doroud, Delaram; Alavi, Ariana; Mardani, Rajab

Potential Laboratory Markers in COVID-19 Patients with Gastrointestinal Impairments as Prognosticators of the Disease Severity

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Nayebali Ahmadi ¹

Maryam Shahali ²

Ashkan Alamdary ²

Alireaza Gholami ²

Rasul Moukhah ³

Mohammadjavad Hossein Tehrani ⁴

Delaram Doroud ⁵

Ariana Alavi ⁵

Rajab Mardani ²

¹ Proteomics Research Center, Department of Medical Lab Sciences, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Viral Vaccines, Production and Complex Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Quality Assurance, Production and Complex Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hamadan University of Medical Science, Hamadan, Iran

⁵ Department of Production, Research and Production Complex, Pasteur Institute of Iran

Abstract

Background: The new coronavirus infectious disease, COVID-19, is constantly killing people around the world. The main clinical symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, and sputum/discharge. Gastrointestinal (GI) impairments are often associated with respiratory manifestations in COVID-19 patients. The current study aimed to examine potential laboratory markers in COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal impairments as prognosticators of disease severity.
Materials and Methods: In the present study, hospitalized COVID-19 patients with respiratory symptoms as the main clinical manifestations and gastrointestinal symptoms were studied to evaluate relevant blood biomarkers including vitamins B12, D, and K in addition to albumin, pre-albumin, calcium, and magnesium.
Results: Sixty individuals (29 males and 31 females) participated in the study aged between 29 and 72 years, with a mean of 45.87 years. Our results showed a significant increase in albumin, pre-albumin, transferrin, and vitamin K and a significant decrease in magnesium and vitamin B12. Decreases in calcium and vitamin D were modestly associated with the clinical picture of the patient group.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that monitoring laboratory markers such as transferrin, serum albumin, vitamin K, and magnesium-to-calcium ratio could be valuable prognosticators for COVID-19 infection. They could assist in better patient management and disease control.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19

Respiratory Symptom

Biomarker

Subjects