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Serum Hyaluronan as a Predictor of Severity in COVID-19: A Retrospective Study
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China huyaodolphin@sina.cn.
Insights
Higher serum hyaluronan (HA) levels indicate a greater risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Measuring HA early can help predict disease severity in patients.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hyaluronan (HA), a glycosaminoglycan, plays a role in inflammation and tissue repair.
- Its role in the prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains to be fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum hyaluronan (HA) levels and the prognosis of COVID-19.
- To determine if HA can serve as a predictive biomarker for COVID-19 severity.
Main Methods:
- Serum HA levels were measured in 497 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- Patients were categorized into mild (n=344) and severe (n=153) infection groups.
- Correlations between HA, lymphocyte count, CRP, ferritin, IL-6, and D-dimer with COVID-19 prognosis were assessed.
Main Results:
- Severe COVID-19 patients exhibited significantly higher mean serum HA levels (850.6 ng/mL) compared to mild cases (204.4 ng/mL).
- An HA level threshold of ≥607.8 ng/mL predicted severe COVID-19 with 62.3% sensitivity and 88.6% specificity.
- Multivariate analysis confirmed serum HA as a significant predictor of disease severity (OR=60.56).
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum HA concentrations are strongly associated with severe COVID-19.
- Early assessment of serum HA levels may effectively predict COVID-19 disease severity.
- HA could be a valuable biomarker for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients.
Objective:
We conducted this study to determine the impact of serum glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) on the prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Methods:
A total of 497 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were included. Patients were divided into two subgroups based on the severity of infection: mild (n=344) and severe (n=153). The levels of HA, lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and D-dimer were measured and the correlation of these parameters with the prognosis of COVID-19 was assessed.
Results:
The mean HA level of the severe group was significantly higher than that of the mild group (204.4 ng/mL versus 850.6 ng/mL, P<0.01). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, an HA level ≥607.8 ng/mL predicted severe COVID-19 with a sensitivity of 62.3% and specificity of 88.6%. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that serum HA level was a significant predictor of disease severity (odds ratio=60.56, P<0.01).
Conclusion:
Our findings show that higher serum HA concentrations are associated with severe COVID-19 disease. Early analysis of HA level in patients with COVID-19 might effectively predict disease severity.
