Laboratory findings of non-severe and severe COVID-19 patients
with chronic airway diseases
When compared with non-severe patients, severe patients were more likely
to have elevated neutrophil counts (8.2 vs. 4.1 × 10⁹/L, p =
0.001), decreased lymphocyte counts (0.6 vs.
1.1×
10⁹/L, p < 0.001), eosinopenia (< 0.02 ×
10⁹/L, 73% vs. 24%, p < 0.001), elevated d-dimer
(> 1 μg/mL, 88% vs. 42%, p = 0.001), increased
lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (471.0 vs. 230.0 U/L, p <
0.001), elevated blood urea nitrogen (> 9.5 mmol/L, 42%
vs. 3%, p < 0.001), increased hypersensitive troponin
I (> 34 pg/mL, 48% vs. 7%, p = 0.001), and
increased inflammation markers including C-reactive protein (CRP) (126.2
vs. 19.9 mg/L, p < 0.001), procalcitonin (≥ 0.05 ng/mL,
96% vs. 43%, p < 0.001) and ferritin (1264.2 vs.
293.6 mg/L, p = 0.004) (Table 2). Of note, significant
differences in the expression of inflammation-related cytokines
including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α
were observed between the two groups, which were dramatically increased
in severe patients.