Mild versus severe COVID-19: laboratory markers

Abstract

The number of COVID-19 patients is increasing dramatically worldwide and treatment in intensive care units (ICU) has become a major challenge, the early recognition of severe forms of is absolutely essential for timely triaging of patients. While the clinical status, in particular Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels and concurrent comorbidities of COVID-19 patients largely determines the need of their admittance to ICUs, several laboratory parameters may facilitate the assessment of disease severity. In hospitalized patients, clinicians should consider low lymphocyte count as well as the serum levels of CRP, D-dimers, ferritin and IL-6 which may be used in risk stratification to predict severe and fatal COVID-19. The more several or all of these parameters are altered, the more likely it is that the course of the disease will be unfavourable.