Analysis of Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients With Varying Degrees of Hyperlipasemia

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can manifest with varying degrees of hyperlipasemia.
• Hyperlipasemia, an elevation in serum lipase, is observed in some COVID-19 patients.
• The clinical significance of different levels of hyperlipasemia in COVID-19 requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with different levels of serum lipase.
• To assess the association between hyperlipasemia and adverse outcomes in COVID-19.
• To differentiate outcomes based on lipase levels, including asymptomatic hyperlipasemia and secondary or primary pancreatitis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 1560 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
• Categorization into groups: normal lipase, elevated lipase <3× upper limit of normal (ULN), asymptomatic hyperlipasemia (>3× ULN), secondary pancreatitis, and primary pancreatitis.
• Adjusted multivariate analysis to compare mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, and length of stay.

Main Results:

• Patients with elevated lipase (<3× ULN) showed significantly higher mortality (OR, 1.6) and need for mechanical ventilation (OR, 2.8).
• Asymptomatic hyperlipasemia (>3× ULN) was associated with a longer length of stay (OR, 3.16) and increased need for mechanical ventilation (OR, 2.8).
• Both elevated lipase and asymptomatic hyperlipasemia groups had worse outcomes compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• Elevated serum lipase (<3× ULN) in COVID-19 patients is associated with poorer clinical outcomes.
• Asymptomatic hyperlipasemia (>3× ULN) in COVID-19 patients also correlates with adverse outcomes, including longer hospital stays.
• Hyperlipasemia, even in the absence of pancreatitis, may serve as a prognostic indicator in COVID-19 management.