Predicting Intensive Care Unit Admission for COVID-19 Patients from Laboratory Results.

Trends in routine laboratory tests, such as high white blood cell and low platelet counts, correlate with COVID-19-related intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Other related biomarkers include elevated troponin, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate transaminase levels (liver function tests). To this end, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of changes in laboratory test parameters on ward-based and ICU COVID-19 patients. A total of 280 COVID-19 patients were included in the study and were divided based on admission status into ICU (37) or ward (243) patients. ICU admission correlated significantly with higher levels of several tested parameters, including lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine, D-dimer, creatine kinase, white blood cell count, and neutrophil count. In conclusion, routine laboratory tests offer an indication of which COVID-19 patients are most likely to be admitted to the ICU. These associations can assist healthcare providers in addressing the needs of patients who are at risk of COVID-19 complications.

Laboratory Biomarkers Associated with Severity and Mortality of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged late 2019 and has become a global pandemic. There is an urgent need for identification of biomarkers to predict severity of the disease for early treatment and to avoid mortality especially in high-risk population. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate laboratory results in COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia to identify potential biomarkers correlated with disease severity. METHODS: Clinical records of 200 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from July to August 2020 at Jeddah East Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Laboratory tests including coagulation parameters, D-dimer, kidney, cardiac, and liver enzymes were statistically investigated in patients admitted to wards and intensive care units (ICU). RESULTS: The majority of patients admitted to ward (156/200) were young (mean 47 years old) compared to those admitted to ICU (mean 60 years old), 14/44 passed away in the ICU. Magnesium was significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in the ICU group while blood urea nitrogen and creatinine level was significantly higher in deceased patients (p < 0.05). Lactate dehydrogenase results were high among all groups, compared to normal range, although its level significantly increased (p > 0.05) in ICU and death groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels may increase the risk of ICU admission and death from COVID-19, which can be used as potential biomarkers for disease severity. Using these markers could help physicians choose the optimal therapeutical option and provide patients with better treatment.

Association between stuttering and psychosocial complications in Saudi Arabian individuals: A pilot study.

Background: Stuttering is a multifaceted speech disorder that affects the interpersonal communication. It has a significant psychosocial impact on individuals who stutter and on their families. Stuttering is associated with substantial psychosocial morbidity, including social or generalized anxiety, stigmatization or discrimination, impaired self-image, and poor quality of life. Psychosocial morbidity, such as the one reported among stuttering individuals, may provoke suicidal ideation that varies with gender, age, geographic region, and psychosocial reality. The present research aimed to determine the association between stuttering and psychosocial complications in Saudi Arabian individuals. Materials and Methods: This study targeted a total of 107 male patients with stuttering. Only 59 of them fulfilled both inclusion and exclusion criteria. The researchers formulated a valid questionnaire to obtain quantifiable data for analysis. The questionnaire consisted of 76 questions spanning various domains. Following the data collection, a quantitative analysis was carried out. Results: A total of 79.5% of the participants were adolescents or young adults between the ages of 16 and 26. Among them, 17.8% had a later onset of stuttering. The age of onset tended to be higher than 5 years, with over 80% of respondents reporting an age of onset in the last 5 years of their age. Among the participants, 57.6% reported a positive family history of stuttering. Conclusions: The present study reports that patients who stutter (PWS) are at a higher risk of developing negative thoughts leading to suicidal attempts due to social anxiety and depression. Therefore, future studies should be designed to establish the relationship between stuttering and suicidal thoughts in order to establish policies that may improve the quality of life of those who stutter.