The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic. Rapidly distinguishing COVID-19 from other respiratory infections is a challenge for first-line health care providers. This retrospective study was conducted at the Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taiwan. Patients who visited the outdoor epidemic prevention screening station for respiratory infection from February 19 to April 30, 2020, were evaluated for blood biomarkers to distinguish COVID-19 from other respiratory infections. Monocyte distribution width (MDW) ≥ 20 (odds ratio [OR]: 8.39, p = 0.0110, area under curve [AUC]: 0.703) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) < 3.2 (OR: 4.23, p = 0.0494, AUC: 0.673) could independently distinguish COVID-19 from common upper respiratory tract infections (URIs). Combining MDW ≥ 20 and NLR < 3.2 was more efficient in identifying COVID-19 (AUC: 0.840). Moreover, MDW ≥ 20 and NLR > 5 effectively identified influenza infection (AUC: 0.7055). Thus, MDW and NLR can distinguish COVID-19 from influenza and URIs.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, respiratory infections, Coronavirus disease 2019, pandemic, Biomarker, Health care, Influenza, neutrophil, Infection, monocyte, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, Retrospective study, lymphocyte, Epidemic, respiratory infection, Health, respiratory, distribution, Taiwan, Care, upper respiratory tract, Blood, NLR, Odds ratio, Taipei Medical University, other respiratory infections, influenza infection, upper respiratory tract infections, evaluated, conducted, other respiratory infection, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, Influenza, monocyte, clinical, respiratory, distribution, upper respiratory tract, pilot study,