A Study of the Role of Prognostic Laboratory Parameters among COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: The emergence and spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents an immense challenge to public health and has resulted in a dramatic loss of human life worldwide. Thus, diagnosis and identification of clinical laboratory parameters associated with the disease become crucial in critical cases, requiring intensive care management. Aim: To investigate clinical laboratory parameters that may be associated with severe or critical COVID-19 disease patients, particularly those requiring intensive care management. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the U. N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. A total of 1460 COVID-19-positive patients (aged 18 years and older) requiring admission to the intensive care unit were selected from April 3 to May 23, 2021, were enrolled, and were diagnostically monitored. Patients were evaluated based on their demographics. A Welsch t-test was used to calculate the progression in the mean difference among inflammatory and/or thromboembolic markers. Results: We analyzed and examined certain laboratory parameters across the timeline and compared survival (Group 1) and nonsurvival (Group 2). All the factors were higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1, except for C-reactive protein-Q (CRP-Q), which decreased in both groups, but in Group 1, there was a further decrease in CRP-Q value as compared to Group 2 on retest day. Conclusion: The results of the current study provide clinical value for prognostic factors associated with COVID-19 and establish the role of laboratory parameters in evaluating disease severity and complications.