Journal of Intensive Care (Sep 2021)

Immature granulocytes can help the diagnosis of pulmonary bacterial infections in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia

  • Thomas Daix,
  • Robin Jeannet,
  • Ana Catalina Hernandez Padilla,
  • Philippe Vignon,
  • Jean Feuillard,
  • Bruno François

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40560-021-00575-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

Read online

Abstract During COVID-19, immature granulocyte (IG) concentration is heterogeneous with higher concentrations than those found in bacterial sepsis. We investigated the relationship between IG levels at ICU admission and on days 7 (± 2) and 15 (± 2) and associated pulmonary bacterial infections in intensive care unit (ICU) patients hospitalized for an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to SARS-CoV-2. Patients with associated pulmonary bacterial infection had a peak of IGs. IG thresholds of 18% or 2 G/L allowed discriminating patients with ventilator associated pneumonia with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Our study supports that IGs could help identifying pulmonary bacterial infections in this population.

Keywords