Anemia and inflammation in COVID patients: A retrospective study in a tertiary health care centre

ABSTRACT

Aims & Objectives: Anemia commonly aggravates the severity of all respiratory illness. There are few studies exploring the relationship between anemia and severity of Covid 19. Patients/Materials & Methods: This single center retrospective observational study is based on recently published guidelines and imported according to PRISMA. The study was conducted in September 2020 covering 20 Covid positive anemic patients. We have used clinical characteristics and laboartory findings to analyse the prognosis. Results: Covid positive anemic patients show more co- morbid conditions than non anemic patients. In Covid positive patients,there is an increase in ferritin levels, LDH and CRP levels. Ferritin is known to be elevated in inflammatory conditions, with hyperferritinemia being a key acute phase reactant used by the clinicians as a marker for key response. Moreover, many of the patients also developed cellulitis over time. Discussion & Conclusion: Anemia is an independent and very important risk factor for complicating the severity in Covid positive patients. Also, high ferritin levels are a major finding in elderly males who are hypertensive. Therefore, clinician should be more sensitive on level of hemoglobin on admission of the patients in order to avoid the complications due to anemia. (Table Presented).