Clinical and biochemical indicators of disease severity and neurological findings in COVID-19: A study of King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Pakistan

Abstract

This study investigated the significance of difference between presence and absence of different neurological findings in COVID-19, in relation with the biochemistry. Various significant correlations in connection with the disease severity and clinical factors were also identified. 351 COVID-19 patients were included. Different laboratory/ clinical findings were investigated. Correlations Kendall’s tau and Pearson Chi-Square were applied to find the correlations between severity and clinical findings. The Mann-Whitney Test was applied for a comparison between two types of neurological groups for each biochemistry parameter. Headache was reported in 28% and dizziness in 13% patients. The impaired smell and impaired taste were reported in 28.5% and 36.2% patients, respectively. The muscle pain was present in 39% patients. 80% patients had low lymphocytes & 70% had high neutrophils. 54.5% were found with high ALP. LDH was elevated in 73%. Severity was found significantly correlated with decreased oxygen saturation, age and raised levels of urea, creatinine and LDH. The groups (with/without CNS involvement) were statistically different in ALP, groups (with/without PNS involvement) in WBC, lymphocytes, neutrophils, ALP, urea, creatinine, CK, CKMB and LDH and groups (with/without MSK involvement) in WBC. Oxygen saturation, age, urea, creatinine and LDH are significant indicators of disease severity in COVID-19. The altered levels of different biochemistry can impact the neurological states of COVID-19 patients.