Correlation of CT severity grade with laboratory findings in COVID-19 patients

Introduction: CT chest is strongly recommended for evaluation in COVID-19 cases as it involves the respiratory system. In the current study, we correlate the CT chest with the most commonly encountered laboratory abnormalities in COVID-19 patients based on their CT severity grade. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study, conducted in a designated COVID center in 123 hospitalized patients who were confirmed COVID-19 positive. The research was conducted over three months (August 2020 to October 2020). Patient demographics, chest CT findings with CT severity scores of the affected lung parenchyma, and laboratory values like serum D-dimer, CRP, ferritin, and lymphocyte count were reported. The association between the severity of a chest CT scan and the levels of laboratory parameters was investigated. Before the study, the local ethics committee granted its approval. Results: There were total of 123 cases, out of which 86 (30.1%) study subjects were males and 37 (69.9%) were females. There was no discernible link between gender and severity score. A positive correlation was seen between the CT imaging findings and serum D-dimer, CRP, and ferritin levels; however, a negative correlation was seen with lymphocyte count. Conclusion: A significant correlation is seen between the CT severity score with laboratory values and the disease severity. Chest CT score is an important signal of the amount of systemic inflammation and can help speed up the diagnostic procedure in symptomatic patients.