ABSTRACT
Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected over 50 million people and has inflicted more than 1.2 million casualties ever since its inception in December 2019. Besides, multiple hematological and biochemical parameters have emerged as potential biomarkers to predict severe disease and mortality in COVID-19. One such biochemical biomarker is hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia is associated with severe disease, organ failure, increased likelihood of hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit, need for mechanical ventilation, and death from COVID-19. Hence, the present study was undertaken to compare the serum total calcium in patients infected with COVID-19 and a normal healthy population. Aim(s): To compare serum total calcium in patients infected with COVID-19 and normal healthy populations. Material(s) and Method(s): This is a case-control study with 50 COVID-19 patients and 50 normal healthy individuals as controls. Serum calcium was determined by Arsenazo III method using Vitros 5600 autoanalyser. Result(s): Chi-square analysis was done and the p-value between cases and control was < 0.05 which is significant. 20% of the COVID -19 patients had very severe hypocalcemia ranging between 4.5-6 mg/dl, 47% of the COVID-19 patients had moderate to severe hypocalcemia with values between 6.6-8.5 mg/dl, and 33% of the COVID -19 patients had normal calcium levels ranging from 8.6-10 mg/dl. Conclusion(s): Hypocalcemia is highly prevalent in COVID-19 patients implying that hypocalcemia is intrinsic to the disease. Prospective studies with a larger number of patients are required to prove this hypothesis and unravel the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.