Abstract
Background
There are no major tools that could predict disease severity in COVID-19. The aim of this study is to evaluate if serum galectin-3 levels can identify disease progression in COVID-19.
Methods
Patients that were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between March and June 2020 were included in this cross-sectional prospective study. Baseline demographic and clinical data in addition to levels of serum parameters including galectin-3 were measured at the time of hospital admission. Patients with COVID-19 were categorized into two groups (non-severe and severe illness). The need for ICU during hospital stay, duration from hospital admission to the transfer to the ICU, and the total length of hospital stay were recorded.
Results
A total of 175 patients were included in the study and among these, 64 patients formed the severe illness group whereas 111 comprised the non-severe illness group. There was statistically significant difference in terms of galectin-3 levels between groups (1.07 ± 0.75 vs 0.484 ± 0.317, p < 0.0001, respectively). Our results showed that galectin-3, IL-6 and CRP levels at admission were independent risk factors associated with transfer to the ICU whereas only galectin-3 was an independent factor for the need for advanced ventilatory support. Also, galectin-3 and IL-6 were independent risk factors related to in-hospital mortality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our results indicated that galectin-3 had moderate power in outlining disease severity and the need for ICU transfer throughout the clinical course in COVID-19.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Biomarker, Hospitalization, ICU, cardiovascular, galectin-3, 【초록키워드】 Hospitalized, IL-6, cross-sectional, disease severity, Prospective Study, Disease progression, serum, Clinical course, Patient, Hospital admission, group, Admission, moderate, predict, in-hospital mortality, Hospital stay, ventilatory support, Clinical data, statistically significant difference, transfer, independent risk factor, CRP level, independent, Result, identify, evaluate, indicated, addition, two group, were measured, were recorded, serum parameter, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 serum, hospitalized patient, with COVID-19,