Clinical Characteristics among Patients with COVID-19: A Single-Center Experience from Medina, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). To assess the effect of COVID-19 disease on hematology, coagulation profiles, renal and liver function over the course of the disease, the following laboratory tests were performed: WBCs per mm3, lymphocytes count, Platelet, D-dimmer, AST, Albumin, LDH, Ferritin, CRP, blood culture and viral loads. Patients were grouped according to their initial viral load (Group1: low viral load (L), Group 2: moderate viral load (I), and Group 3, high viral load (H)). The study population median age of the patients was 58 years, and 69% were male. Generally, all patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Most of the patients (79.5%) had an intermediate viral load, 14.5% had a high viral load, and 5.7% had a low viral load. The Kusakal-Walli’s test revealed a significant difference in the levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes, platelet, D-dimer, AST, CRP, and ferritin (p <0.0001). One hundred twenty-two isolates were recovered from 5362 blood cultures; where as 75% were multiple resistant to three classes of antibiotics and more. True bacteremia was most commonly caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae (45%), Acinetobacter baumannii (30%), and C. albicans (7%). The potential risk factors of advanced age, lymphopenia, D-dimer concentrations greater than 2µg/mL, and ferritin concentrations greater than 400ng/mL may assist clinicians to improve the management of the case and reduce mortality.