Evaluation of a potential prognostic parameter for the inflammatory status in COVID-19 patients: The inflammatory...

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Hospitalized patients with and without COVID-19 (n=2745) were analyzed for inflammatory markers.
• Established markers include C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and d-dimer, assessed via immunoassay and turbidimetric methods.
• SARS-CoV-2 positivity was confirmed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a new parameter from serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) for assessing inflammatory status.
• To evaluate the correlation of the novel Inflammatory Protein Ratio (IPR) with established inflammatory markers.
• To determine the specificity of IPR in differentiating inflammatory states, particularly in COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

• Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) was performed on all patients to quantify serum proteins.
• A novel Inflammatory Protein Ratio (IPR) was calculated using albumin, α1-globulin, and α2-globulin concentrations.
• Statistical analyses including ANOVA and correlation tests (Pearson's, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman's) were employed.

Main Results:

• The Inflammatory Protein Ratio (IPR) showed a significant direct correlation with d-dimer, CRP, and fibrinogen.
• IPR, along with d-dimer, CRP, and fibrinogen, was significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in COVID-19 patients.
• IPR demonstrated high specificity for monitoring inflammatory status due to its reliance on key inflammatory proteins.

Conclusions:

• The novel Inflammatory Protein Ratio (IPR) is a valuable and specific marker for assessing inflammatory status.
• IPR correlates strongly with established inflammatory markers and is significantly elevated in COVID-19 patients.
• IPR offers a simplified interpretation of SPE results for clinical evaluation of inflammation.