Chest radiography findings and hematological values: Early findings on COVID-19 patients from Turkey

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the chest radiography findings, hematological values and the risk factors of the mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in a secondary-level state hospital in Turkey from March to April 2020 were included in the study. COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Initial routine blood tests and chest radiography findings were examined. The relationship between chest radiography findings and hematological values and risk factors of the mortality of COVID-19 were assessed. Results: In total, 94 patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included in the study. Among them, 33 patients did not have lung involvement (RALE score of 0), and 42 had moderate lung involvement (RALE score of 1 to 4), and 19 had severe lung involvement (RALE score of 5 to 8). Patients with higher RALE scores were significantly elder (P=0.000) and had significantly lower lymphocyte count (P=0.032). Patients in need of intensive care had a lower mean number of platelets compared to patients who did not require intensive care (P=0.007). The receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that RALE score (P=0.005), age (P=0.002), duration of symptoms (P=0.006), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (P=0.007), and lymphocyte percentage (P=0.012) were significantly associated with the risk of mortality. Conclusions: Patients with severe lung involvement have lower lymphocyte values and ratios. Age, RALE score, duration of symptoms, neutrophils/lymphocytes ratio, lymphocytes percentage are risk factors of mortality of COVID-19.

Keywords

• covid-19; chest x-ray; survey; lymphocyte