Correlation Between Laboratory Tests, Upper Respiratory Viral Load and Disease Severity in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Laboratory Characteristics of 220 COVID-19 Cases

Abdolreza Javadi^1,2, Mohammad Hashemi-Bahremani¹, Shahriar Dabiri^3,4, Houman Vosough², Manzumeh - Shamsi Meymandi⁴, Mona akbari² & Nemat Khansari^5*

¹Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
²Imam Hossein Central Medical Laboratory, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
³Department of Pathology, Afzalipour Medical School, Kerman, Iran
⁴Pathology and Stem Cells Research Center, Kerman Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
⁵Department Immunology, Medical School, Medical University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Dr. Nemat Khansari, Department Immunology, Medical School, Medical University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Viral Load; Laboratory Medicine

Abstract

To compare the laboratory characteristics and viral load between mild, severe and critical patients with COVID-19. Data from 220 laboratory-confirmed patients were retrospectively analyzed. Study was conducted on COVID-19 cases who presented to Imam Hossein Teaching hospital in Tehran (Iran) from early March to late April, 2020. The recommended laboratory tests, as well as the upper respiratory viral load in COVID-19 patients with different spectrum of disease severity were compared. Lower lymphocyte absolute count, serum vitamin D3 and higher neutrophil absolute counts were seen in critical COVID 19 Patients. CRP, ESR, LDH, Neutrophil absolute count, lymphocyte absolute count and oxygen saturation were significantly abnormal in high RNA viral load of COVID 19 cases than others. High Nasopharyngeal (NP)/Oropharyngeal (OP) NP/ OP viral loads (low RNA cycle threshold) may correlate with severity of the disease and reflect tissue damage.

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