Calculated Nutritional Indices in Symptomatic Hospitalized Nigerian Covid-19 Patients

Multifaceted approaches are needed to control the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, therefore assessing the patients' nutritional status is desirable to justify the suggestion of biochemical nutritional markers or nutritional indices in the prognosis of COVID-19. This longitudinal study determined biochemical nutritional markers (albumin, prealbumin and total cholesterol) and nutritional indices [Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI)] in symptomatic hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared with control. These parameters were related to age, sex and days of admission of the patients. Plasma obtained were analyzed for biochemical nutritional markers and indices calculated. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., USA) version 20.0. The mean prealbumin (PAB) and total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients compared to control (P<0.05). PNI classified 90% of COVID-19 patients as well-nourished while CONUT score classified 75.6% of COVID-19 patients as mildly malnourished. In COVID-19 patients at discharge, the mean level of TC was significantly increased compared with COVID-19 patients at admission. The mean albumin level in patients with ≤10days of admission was significantly lower when compared to those with those having >10days of admission. There were no significant differences in the PNI and CONUT scores of the participants in relation to age, gender and days of admission. This study concluded that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SAR-COV 2) infection affects certain biochemical nutritional biomarkers and that PNI and CONUT could be use as cheap, reliable and affordable nutritional prognostic tools in the management of COVID-19 patients.