C-reactive protein lymphocyte index in COVID-19: a little-explored tool

Background: COVID-19 develops severe inflammatory responses that can lead to death. It is essential in a pandemic to have accessible instruments to estimate the prognosis of the disease. The lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) is a predictive biomarker studied in oncology, which could have some advantages in COVID-19 patients in the early stages of the disease. Our objective was to estimate the risk of LCR < 100 and mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods: hospitalized patients with COVID-19 seen between March to October 2020 were included. The patients were grouped according to LCR < 100 and LCR > 100. A Cox regression model was performed to estimate the association between LCR < 100 and mortality. Results: we included 730 patients with COVID-19. The mean age at diagnosis was 49.9 years (SD 16.8) and 401 (55%) were men. Cox regression model showed an association between LCR < 100 and mortality (HR 6.2;95% CI 1.6 to 23.5;p 0.008), adjusting by age. severe pneumonia, intensive care requirements, and comorbidities. Conclusion: LPCR < 100 in the initial assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 suggests a higher risk of mortality.

[Lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio in COVID-19: an unexplored tool]

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 develops severe inflammatory responses that can lead to death. It is essential in a pandemic to have accessible instruments to estimate the prognosis of the disease. The lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) is a predictive biomarker studied in oncology, which could have some advantages in COVID-19 patients in the early stages of the disease. Our objective was to estimate the risk of LCR < 100 and mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: hospitalized patients with COVID-19 seen between March to October 2020 were included. The patients were grouped according to LCR < 100 and LCR > 100. A Cox regression model was performed to estimate the association between LCR < 100 and mortality. RESULTS: we included 730 patients with COVID-19. The mean age at diagnosis was 49.9 years (SD 16.8) and 401 (55%) were men. Cox regression model showed an association between LCR <100 and mortality (HR 6.2;95% CI 1.6 to 23.5;p 0.008), adjusting by age. severe pneumonia, intensive care requirements, and comorbidities. CONCLUSION: LPCR <100 in the initial assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 suggests a higher risk of mortality.