Role of Hematological and Inflammatory Markers in Early Diagnosis and Severity of COVID‑19 Disease

Background: COVID‑19 virus, causing severe acute respiratory illness (SARS‑CoV‑2), was declared as a pandemic by the WHO in March 2020, after its first outbreak in China at the end of 2019. The major purpose is to establish the role of a hematological and inflammatory markers in early diagnosis of COVID‑19 illness and its relationship with the disease severity. Materials and Methods: The study was performed in a tertiary care center from April to September 2020. The study included 150 hospitalized COVID‑19 Reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction positive patients. According to ICMR standards, research patients were grouped into mild, moderate, and severe categories depending on clinical evaluation. Different laboratory parameters complete blood counts, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), d‑dimer, serum ferritin, C‑reactive protein (CRP), and mean results are compared among the patient in three disease severity groups. Results: In the studied population, there were 106 (70.7%) males and 44 (29.3%) females. The average age of the research participants was 48.40 ± 11.50 (21–75 years), with majority of patients being old (>60 years). Hematological markers such as total leukocyte count, Neutrophil‑to‑lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the levels of PT, APTT, and D‑dimer, as well as ferritin and CRP, all were considerably high with different groups of disease severity (P = 0.001). Conclusion: The study concluded that patients of severe disease category have significantly higher levels of leukocytosis, neutrophilia, elevated NLR, PLR, PT, APTT, D‑dimer, serum ferritin, and CRP. Hematological and coagulation symptoms are associated with COVID‑19 illness, and these indicators might be employed as a prognosticator for prediction of early disease severity.

Effect of occupational exposure on hematological and biochemical parameters in workers at oil and gas companies

Petroleum refineries are largest chemical industries that are responsible for emission of several pollutants into the atmosphere. Benzene and its metabolites are regarded as the most hazardous compounds that are emitted by petroleum refineries. These contribute to toxic oxidants, which cause many serious health risks to petroleum refineries workers. This study was aimed to analyze the effects of chemical exposure on hematological and biochemical parameters among workers at Zawia oil refinery and Mellituh oil and gas refinery companies. A total of 200 workers participated in this study which consisting of two equal groups (each group: n = 100). The first group consists of petroleum refineries workers and the second group consists of non-oil work civil servants serving were recruited as exposed and control subjects, respectively. The results of blood picture, liver enzymes and kidney functions were compared between the groups. Mean white blood cells counts, platelet counts, and hematocrit count were significantly higher, while the mean red blood cells count was insignificantly changed in petroleum refineries workers. While the mean hemoglobin and corpuscular hemoglobin concentration levels were significantly lower, whereas the mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels were insignificantly changed in petrol refineries workers. Liver enzymes and renal functions were significantly higher in petrol refineries workers. The present findings indicate that occupational exposure to benzene causes significant alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters and workers are at high risk of developing blood, hepatic or renal related disorders. Protection and frequent medical attention should be given to petroleum refineries workers.

Evaluation of hematological parameters in early onset neonatal sepsis.

Background & Objective : Diagnosis of early onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) is always a challange to the neonatologists. So, the study evaluate role of hematological parameters in diagnosis of EONS in a teaching hospital of eastern India. Methods: Newborn, age less than 72hours, associated with risk factors or clinical diagnosis of sepsis, admitted between March 2011 and February 2013 was enrolled in this study. They were subjected to blood culture and various sepsis screen parameters like C-Reactive Protein, micro-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Micro ESR), total leukocyte count (TLC), Immature to Total Neutrophil ratio (I:T ratio) and platelet count. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value(PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) as well as P value of all the parameters were calculated considering blood culture as ‘gold standard’ for sepsis. Result: Among 238 clinically suspected cases of early onset neonatal sepsis, blood culture was positive in 90(37.8%) cases of which Klebsiella pneumoniae (45.71%) was the predominant organism. Positive CRP and Micro ESR were the most useful tests for sepsis with a high specificity of 91.89% and 90.54% respectively but sensitivity of any one was not satisfactory. Negative predictive value of the CRP, micro- ESR, I:T ratio ranges between 90.07% and 81.99% . In relation to sepsis alteration in hematological parameters were found statistically significant (P value <0.05).Conclusion: The value of the hematological tests could be used satisfactorily to rule out EONS and withheld unnecessary antibiotic treatment. Thus the tests aids in management of EONS while waiting for culture report.

Hematological and Serum Biochemical Analyses in Experimental Caprine Besnoitiosis

This study was undertaken to investigate the hematological and biochemical changes in experimentally infected goats with Besnoitia caprae from the time of infection till 360 days post-infection (PI). Six male goats were inoculated subcutaneously with 13x10(7) bradyzoites of B. caprae, and blood samples were collected from the jugular vein. The total erythrocyte and total leukocyte counts, hematocrit value, and differential leukocyte counts were determined. Serum biochemical analysis, including the total protein, albumin, total globulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, chloride, testosterone, calcium (Ca2+), inorganic phosphorus, sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), iron (Fe2+), glucose, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase, was undertaken. Skin biopsy from the limbs were collected at weekly intervals and histologically examined for Besnoitia cysts. Cysts were present in the skin biopsies of the leg of the infected goats from day 28 PI. There were variations in hematological analyses, but no significant difference was seen. From day 30 to 360 PI, results showed that SAA, Hp, fibrinogen, and ceruloplasmin concentrations increased, whereas testosterone concentrations decreased. Infected goats exhibited decrease of albumin and increase of serum total protein and globulin concentrations. By contrast, there were no significant differences in the remained analyses concentrations.