Comparing Para-clinical and Laboratory Methods of Covid-19 Diagnosis in Iran

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was first discovered in China in late 2019 and spread rapidly worldwide. This study aimed to correlate positive real time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Reaction (RT-PCR) results after one month of follow-up with laboratory findings of the same patients at hospital admission to predict clinical outcome and diagnosis.

We conducted a retrospective study on the laboratory findings of 299 adult patients suspected of COVID-19. Patients were admitted to hospital from March 21 to May 25, 2021 with final follow-up of one month for each patient. After one month of follow-up, 233 patients recovered; however, in 64 patients the symptoms worsened. For these patients RT-PCR was performed and some patients needed chest Computed Tomography (CT) imaging and were hospitalized. We extracted laboratory findings of these 64 patients and correlated the results of their RT-PCR with their laboratory findings.

Based on our findings, severe cases are middle-aged adults (P=0.001) with lymphopenia (P<0.001), decreased levels of white blood cells (WBCs) (P<0.001), and platelets (P=0.007) count along with elevated COVID-19 IgG antibody (P=0.002) and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) (P<0.001).

RT-PCR is not necessary at admission; instead, some routine hematology examinations and serological tests can predict the prognosis of COVID- 19 disease.