The correlation of lymphocytes with disease progression of COVID-19
Ming Chu1,2, Xiaobao Zhao2,3,4, Lu Tang2,3,4,5
1Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
Insights
Low lymphocyte counts, including total T and CD4+ T cells, predict COVID-19 severity. Monitoring these lymphocyte levels in moderate coronavirus disease 2019 patients can help identify those at higher risk of developing severe illness.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present with varying severity.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers for predicting disease progression is crucial for patient management.
- Lymphocyte subsets play a key role in the immune response to viral infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of lymphocyte counts as predictive biomarkers for COVID-19 severity.
- To assess the association between lymphocyte levels and the progression of moderate COVID-19 cases.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 164 moderate COVID-19 patients in Shenzhen, China, was studied.
- Lymphocyte counts, including total T lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes, were measured.
- Statistical analysis, including hazard ratios and confidence intervals, was used to determine associations with disease aggravation.
Main Results:
- 12.2% of moderate COVID-19 patients progressed to severe cases.
- Patients who developed severe COVID-19 had significantly lower counts of total lymphocytes, total T lymphocytes, and CD4+ T lymphocytes compared to stable patients.
- Lower lymphocyte counts were significantly associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 aggravation.
Conclusions:
- Total T lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes serve as important biomarkers for evaluating the risk of aggravation in moderate COVID-19 patients.
- Moderate COVID-19 patients with low percentages of total T and CD4+ T lymphocytes require closer monitoring and attention.
Abstract:
The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of lymphocytes as biomarkers to predict the decline of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Lymphocytes were counted in 164 moderate COVID-19 patients in Shenzhen, China. Among the moderate infected patients, 12.2% (20/164) progressed to severe cases after admission. Compared with the stable patients, the counts of lymphocytes, both total T lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes, in the severe patients, were lower. The aggravation of moderate infected patients was significantly associated with lymphocyte count (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84-0.99), total T lymphocyte count (HR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.84-0.99), and CD4+ T lymphocyte count (HR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85-0.98). Total T lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes could be important biomarkers to evaluate the risk of aggravation for moderate infected COVID-19 patients. The patients with low percentages of total T lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes need more attention.
