Evaluation of elabela, visfatin, and chemerin levels as inflammation biomarkers in COVID-19.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate if inflammation biomarkers elabela, visfatin, and chemerin will be useful in the diagnosis of patients with COVID-19. This prospective case-control study included 33 patients with COVID-19 and 30 healthy matched controls. 33 patients, aged 18 years and older, diagnosed with COVID-19 and followed up for one month were included in the study. Blood samples were taken from the patients on the first day they were diagnosed with COVID-19, and levels of elabela (ELA), visfatin, chemerin, white blood cells (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were assessed. Blood samples were also taken from 30 healthy volunteers for the control group. The ELA, visfatin and chemerin levels measured in the patients on day one were compared with those measured in the control group and with the WBC, CRP and PCT levels measured in the patients. Visfatin levels measured in COVID-19 patients were significantly higher than in the healthy control group. There was no significant difference in ELA and chemerin levels between the two groups. A significant positive correlation was found between chemerin and visfatin levels in the patients. A significant negative correlation was found between the levels of ELA-chemerin and ELA-visfatin in the patients. There was no significant correlation between elabela, visfatin and chemerin levels and WBC, CRP, PCT levels. Measurement of visfatin levels may be helpful in patients with COVID-19. However, two other biomarkers in our study, ELA and chemerin, were found not to be useful in diagnosing COVID-19. New inflammatory biomarkers may help to diagnose a disease in which the inflammatory response is at the forefront, such as COVID-19. New studies are needed on this subject.