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High ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and D-dimer levels predict severe COVID-19 outcomes in Arab populations. These biomarkers indicate a higher risk of poor prognosis for patients with severe coronavirus disease.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • COVID-19 has caused widespread infection globally, with a significant proportion developing severe symptoms.
  • Understanding clinical and laboratory predictors of COVID-19 severity is crucial for patient management and prognosis.
  • Previous research indicates varied clinical presentations and outcomes across different demographics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between clinical and laboratory parameters and the severity of COVID-19 in an Arab population.
  • To identify reliable biomarkers for predicting severe disease progression and poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study involving 466 Arab participants, including 169 COVID-19 cases and 297 controls.
  • Clinical data and laboratory parameters such as ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, white blood cell count (WBC), IgM, granulocytes, and lymphocytes were analyzed.
  • Comparison of parameters between mild and severe COVID-19 cases and controls to determine associations with disease severity.

Main Results:

  • Severe COVID-19 was significantly associated with elevated levels of ferritin (P < 0.001), CRP (P < 0.001), D-dimer (P < 0.001), WBC (P < 0.01), IgM (P < 0.001), and granulocytes (P < 0.01) compared to controls.
  • A significant decrease in lymphocytes (P < 0.01) was observed in patients with severe COVID-19.
  • Patients with severe symptoms exhibited a four-fold increase in serum ferritin levels, which correlated with high CRP and D-dimer concentrations.

Conclusions:

  • Hyperferritinemia, elevated CRP, and high D-dimer levels are strongly associated with severe COVID-19.
  • These biomarkers, particularly ferritin, CRP, and D-dimer, may serve as reliable predictors of disease severity and poor prognosis in Arab patients with COVID-19.
  • Further research can explore therapeutic strategies targeting these inflammatory markers to improve outcomes.

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