Adipokines levels in hospitalized patients for COVID-19 and their role in prognosis

Abstract

<b>Introduction and Aim:</b> Adipokines, both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory ones, play an important role in regulation of inflammatory responses toward infections including COVID-19. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of chemerin, adiponectin and leptin concentrations in prognosis and clinical features of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. <b>Methods:</b> Serum levels of 3 adipokines were measured upon admission of 77 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients who were followed up for 6 months and grouped into 2 according to prognosis. <b>Results:</b> A total of 77 patients were included in the study. 58.4% of patients were male and the average age was 63.2± 18.3 years (R: 21-96). 51 patients (66.2%) had a good prognosis based on 6-month follow-up. Leucocyte number, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, GGT, ALP, D-Dimer, ferritin, CRP, prokalsitonin, CK, troponin, oxygen saturation at admission, presence of comorbidities or another infection were all signifactly related with prognosis of disease (p&lt;0.05). Among adipokines only Chemerin was significantly higher in the bad prognosis group (p=0.044) and the serum levels showed a negative correlation with age (p=0.037). Leptin levels were correlated negatively with GGT levels which were significantly higher in bad prognostic group (p=0.036). The ratio of adipokines had no relation with the prognosis and the other clinical features. <b>Conclusions:</b> Higher&nbsp;Chemerin levels, an anti-inflammatory adipokine, were related with a worse prognosis, whereas GGT levels especially higher in bad prognostic group were shown to be inversely correlated with leptin levels (a pro-inflammatory adipokine). Anti-inflammatory response predominance at admission might&nbsp;be a bad prognostic clue.