Levels of Plasma C-reactive protein, Albumin and Pre-Albumin in Nigerian COVID-19 Patients

ABSTRACT

Aim: COVID-19 is a new viral, rapidly infectious and inflammatory disease, with no treatment currently. However, no study reported combination of high sensitive C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation), albumin and prealbumin (markers of nutritional status) in the prognosis of COVID-19 among Nigerian COVID-19 patients. We assessed plasma levels of hsCRP, albumin, prealbumin, hsCRPalbumin ratio and hsCRP-prealbumin ratio in newly admitted COVID-19 patients and COVID-19 patients at discharge. Material and Methods: Albumin, pre-albumin and C-RP levels were determined in the plasma of confirmed cases of COVID-19 recruited form one Infectious Diseases Center, Ibadan, Nigeria using ELISA. hsCRP-albumin ratio and hsCRP-prealbumin ratio were calculated. All these parameters were compared in both groups of patients and controls. Results: hsC-RP level was significantly higher in newly admitted COVID-19 patients compared with discharged COVID-19 patients or COVID-19 free control (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in plasma levels of albumin, prealbumin, hsCRP-albumin ratio and hsCRP-prealbumin ratio in both groups of COVID-19 patients compared with control (p>0.05). The mean values of plasma hsC-RP, albumin and prealbumin in most COVID-19 patients (89%, 100% and 91% respectively) were within normal reference ranges. hsC-RP were significantly increased in newly admitted COVID-19 patients who were females, above 40 years of age and stayed above 10 days of hospital admission (p<0.05 in each case). Conclusion: PlasmahsC-RP levelmight be a useful prognostic marker of COVID-19. Also COVID-19 in this group of patients exhibited low grade inflammation. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Annals of Medical of Research is the property of Annals of Medical Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)