Eosinopenia in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Hematology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• COVID-19 diagnosis relies on rRT-PCR and CT scans.
• Eosinophil counts are a readily available laboratory marker.
• The diagnostic utility of eosinophils in COVID-19 requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of eosinophil counts in COVID-19 patients.
• To determine the association between eosinopenia and positive SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR results.
• To assess the correlation between eosinopenia and CT scan findings suggestive of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 174 patients with suspected COVID-19.
• Collected demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, including eosinophil counts.
• Defined eosinopenia as < 100 cells/mm³; analyzed association with rRT-PCR and CT scan results.

Main Results:

• Eosinophil counts demonstrated high predictive accuracy for positive rRT-PCR (AUC 0.84) and suggestive CT scans (AUC 0.84).
• Eosinopenia independently predicted positive rRT-PCR and was a predictor for CT scan findings.
• LDH, BMI, and hypertension were also identified as predictors.

Conclusions:

• Eosinopenia on admission is a valuable predictor of positive SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR and COVID-19 pneumonia on CT scans.
• This simple laboratory marker can aid in identifying high-risk COVID-19 patients, especially when advanced diagnostics are limited.