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An elevated HScore is associated with poor clinical outcomes in COVID-19
Rafael Benavente1, Camila Peña2, Allyson Cid3
1Internal Medicine Department, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Insights
Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is uncommon in COVID-19 patients. However, the HScore can predict poor outcomes, such as mechanical ventilation or mortality, in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology
Background:
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause hyperinflammation, mimicking Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH).
- The HScore, a validated tool for sHLH, has been proposed to assess COVID-19-associated hyperinflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of sHLH in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- To evaluate the HScore's utility as a prognostic indicator for adverse outcomes in this population.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study enrolled 143 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (aged 21-100 years).
- The HScore was calculated within 72 hours of admission.
- The study assessed sHLH incidence and the association between an HScore ≥ 130 and outcomes like mechanical ventilation or 60-day mortality.
Main Results:
- The median HScore was 96 (range: 33-169).
- The incidence of sHLH was low (0.7%), with one patient diagnosed (HScore 169).
- An HScore ≥ 130 was independently linked to a composite poor outcome (Hazard Ratio 2.13, p=0.022), even after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is infrequent in COVID-19 patients.
- The HScore serves as a valuable tool for predicting poor clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Background:
Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) frequently experience a hyperinflammatory syndrome leading to unfavorable outcomes. This condition resembles Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) described in neoplastic, rheumatic and other infectious diseases. A scoring system (HScore) that evaluates underlying immunosuppression, temperature, organomegaly, cytopenias, ferritin, triglycerides, fibrinogen and AST was validated for sHLH, and recently proposed to evaluate hyperinflammation in COVID-19.
Aim:
To assess the presence of sHLH among patients with COVID-19 admitted for hospitalization and to evaluate Hscore as a prognostic tool for poor outcomes.
Material And Methods:
One hundred forty-three patients aged 21-100 years (64% males) admitted because of COVID-19 were enrolled in a prospective study. HScore was calculated within 72 hours admission. The incidence of sHLH during hospitalization was evaluated. Additionally, the relationship between a HScore ≥ 130 points and either the requirement of mechanical ventilation or 60-days mortality was explored.
Results:
The median HScore was 96 (33-169). A SHLH was diagnosed in one patient (incidence 0.7%), whose HScore was 169. After adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities and obesity, HScore ≥ 130 was independently associated with the composite clinical outcome (Hazard rartio 2.13, p = 0.022).
Conclusions:
sHLH is not frequent among COVID-19 patients. HScore can be useful to predict the risk for poor outcomes.
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