Serum Uric Acid and Hemoglobin Levels as Prognostic Factors for COVID-19 Disease in Lung Cancer Patients

Abstract

Objective: Cancer patients have a higher risk of COVID-19 infection compared to the healthy population. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the parameters and inflammatory indices that influence mortality in lung cancer patients who contract COVID-19. Material and Methods: The sample of this single-center retrospective study comprised 66 patients diagnosed with lung cancer and treated for COVID-19 between April 2020 and July 2021. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, prognostic index, modified Glasgow prognostic score, and COVID inflammatory score were calculated for all patients. A total of twenty-seven potential prognostic variables were identified for further analysis through univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Seven variables with statistically significant prognostic values were identified as a result. The identified variables include having received chemotherapy in the last 28 days, hospitalization in the intensive care unit, the need for mechanical ventilation, receipt of COVID-19 corticosteroid treatment, serum uric acid level, hemoglobin level, and platelet count. The seven variables with prognostic value were subjected to Cox regression analysis. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that low hemoglobin and low uric acid levels emerged as independent risk factors for survival in lung cancer patients infected with COVID-19. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest that serum hemoglobin levels less than 10 g/dL and serum uric acid levels less than 3.5 mg/dL can serve as prognostic factors in lung cancer patients infected with COVID-19, aiding in predicting mortality.