Usefulness of the New Hematological Parameter: Reactive Lymphocytes RE-LYMP with Flow Cytometry Markers of Inflammation in COVID-19.

Elżbieta Rutkowska,Andrzej Chciałowski,Beata Chełstowska,Piotr Rzepecki,Katarzyna Kulik,Krzysztof Kłos,Iwona Kwiecień

doi:10.3390/cells10010082

Elżbieta Rutkowska, Andrzej Chciałowski + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10010082

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Abstract

Identification of patients with activation of the immune system which indicates the presence of infection is essential, especially in the times of the global coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reactive lymphocytes (RE-LYMP) parameter in COVID-19 and to correlate it with activation lymphocytes markers by flow cytometry. The study group consisted of 40 patients: with COVID-19 infection (n = 20) and with others virus infections without COVID-19 (COVID-19(−) virus (n = 20)) and 20 healthy donors (HC). Blood count and flow cytometry were performed. The COVID-19(+) group had significantly lower RE-LYMP parameter than the COVID-19(−) virus group (5.45 vs. 11.05, p < 0.05). We observed higher proportion of plasmablasts in the COVID-19(+) and COVID-19(−) virus groups than HC (8.8 vs. 11.1 vs. 2.7, p < 0.05). In the COVID-19(+) there was a lower proportion of CD4+ CD38+ cells than in the other groups (significant differences between COVID-19(+) and COVID-19(−) virus groups). RE-LYMP correlated with activated T lymphocytes CD38+ and HLA-DR+ in the COVID-19(−) virus group, however in the COVID-19(+) group correlations with T lymphocytes CD25+ and CD45RO+ were observed. In summary the analysis of the RE-LYMP together with flow cytometric activation markers can be helpful in identifying and distinguishing patients with COVID-19(+) from other viruses and HC.

Highlights

Introduction nal affiliationsInflammatory diseases associated with infection of various types of viruses are nowadays very common
The study group consisted of 40 patients undergoing a routine peripheral blood (PB) test with a virus infectious disease and 20 healthy controls (HC), from 10 May to
The routine blood count, such as: white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, PLT counts, and immature granulocytes (IG) were normal in the group with virus infection compared to the Sysmex reference values [17]

Summary

Introduction

Introduction nal affiliationsInflammatory diseases associated with infection of various types of viruses are nowadays very common. The rate of mutation of individual types of pathogens and the fact that a large number of infections are asymptomatic or atypical, pose a huge challenge to the medical staff involved in the diagnosis of this type of disease. This is especially important in the era of the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic [1]. Immune response is heterogeneous dependent of type of virus, severity of the disease and remains poorly understood. Clinicians need to have fast, cheap and routine parameters to indicate dysregulation of the immune system. As a result of recent technological advances, today’s hematological analyzers allow the determination of routine complete blood count and new additional

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