ABSTRACT
Introduction This study’s purpose was to investigate the relationship between laboratory blood parameters and ocular findings in patients hospitalized with moderate or severe COVID-19. Methods Ophthalmologic examination of 215 patients who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 was performed in their hospital beds and their ocular findings were noted. Blood parameters were compared in patients with and without conjunctivitis-like symptoms. Results Conjunctivitis-like inflammatory findings were detected in 15 (7.44%) of 215 moderate or severe COVID-19 patients. There was no difference between the patients with and without ocular findings in terms of laboratory findings such as white blood cells count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, lactate dehydrogenase, procalcitonin, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, and ferritin. Conclusions There was a significant relationship between COVID-19 and an acute conjunctival inflammatory response. Blood parameters that determined progression in patients with COVID-19 were not significant in terms of ocular findings.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum D-dimer, ferritin and vitamin D levels, and dysgeusia symptoms, in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. METHODS: The present study was conducted with the medical records of 300 patients positive for coronavirus disease 2019, hospitalised between 28 March and 15 August 2020. The patients were divided into two groups regarding the presence or absence of dysgeusia symptoms. RESULTS: Fever and sore throat rates, and the mean D-dimer level, were considerably higher in the dysgeusia group than in the non-dysgeusia group (32.1 vs 21.6 per cent, p = 0.04; 43.6 vs 20.7 per cent, p < 0.001; and 0.54 ± 0.32 vs 0.49 ± 0.51 mg/l FEU, p = 0.008, respectively). The mean age was significantly lower in the dysgeusia group than in the non-dysgeusia group (42.83 ± 12.31 vs 50.51 ± 13.67 years, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Younger age, fever and shortness of breath could be observed in patients with dysgeusia symptoms. In addition, the D-dimer level was significantly higher in the dysgeusia group.