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Unveiling coagulation dysfunction in patients with COVID-19: a retrospective analysis
Ahmed Ali Jerah1, Abdullah Farasani2, Hisham Abu-Tawil3
1Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT) shows promise as a predictor of COVID-19 mortality. This coagulation marker demonstrated higher predictive performance than prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) in a recent study.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Coagulation dysfunction is a key feature of COVID-19 pathophysiology.
- Abnormal coagulation parameters are frequently observed in severe COVID-19 cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the predictive value of prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and international normalized ratio (INR) for mortality in COVID-19 patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 156 COVID-19 patients.
- Measurement of PT, PTT, and INR upon admission.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine predictive performance (AUC, sensitivity, specificity).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in PTT, PT, and INR were observed (P < 0.05).
- PTT showed the highest predictive performance with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.68.
- PTT achieved 83% sensitivity and 46% specificity for predicting mortality.
Conclusions:
- PTT may serve as a valuable prognostic marker for mortality risk in COVID-19 patients.
- Monitoring coagulation markers like PTT can aid in risk stratification and treatment guidance.
- Further research is needed to validate these findings and establish the clinical utility of coagulation markers in COVID-19 management.
Abstract:
Coagulation dysfunction has emerged as a significant aspect of COVID-19 pathophysiology, with abnormal coagulation parameters observed in severe cases. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of coagulation parameters, including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and international normalized ratio (INR) for mortality in patients with COVID-19. A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Coagulation parameters, including PT, PTT, and INR, were measured upon admission. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive performance of these parameters. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated, and the area under the curve (AUC) values were determined. The analysis included 156 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The t-test revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in PTT, PT, and INR. PTT demonstrated the highest predictive performance, with an AUC value of 0.68, indicating superior discrimination compared with PT and INR. PTT exhibited a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 46% for identifying deceased patients. These findings suggest that PTT may serve as a valuable prognostic marker of mortality risk in patients with COVID-19. Coagulation indicators, particularly PTT, predicted COVID-19 mortality. Monitoring coagulation markers may help stratify the risk and guide treatment. Further research and validation studies are needed to corroborate these findings and to establish the clinical importance of coagulation markers in COVID-19 therapy. COVID-19 coagulation dysfunction mechanisms must be understood in order to design targeted therapies to reduce thrombotic consequences.
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