Hematological abnormalities in immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19: Evidence from a single center. A cross sectional study

Highlights

• Lymphopenia were often observed in immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19 (IS(+))

• IS patients over 39 years old were in more risk to contract SARSCoV-2.

• Thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were frequently found among IS(+) patients.

• Red cell parameters were frequently abnormal among IS(+) patients.

Abstract

Background

Changes in hematological parameters in patients with COVID-19 are emerging as important features of the disease in the general population. In the present study we aimed to explore the hematological characteristics and its prevalence proportion ratio in patients with immunosuppression with COVID-19.

Aim

To explore the differences between immunosuppressed and non-immunosuppressed patients, with and without COVID-19 from a hematological perspective.

Methods

This cross-sectional study reports on the baseline complete blood count in patients attending the HHA Hospital, in Chile. The study reports descriptive characteristics of the population, including sex, age, ethnicity, corticoids and biological therapy scheme and a complete report of blood test results. A total of 476 patients were enrolled in this study from October of 2020 to April 2021.

Results

Findings revels a significant increment (p value ≤ 0.001) on the median of total neutrophils and leucocytes, and in platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil- lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) in immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19 (IS(+)) and immunocompetent patients with COVID-19 (IC(+)) compared with their respective controls. By contrast, a significant reduction on the median of lymphocytes, and eosinophiles was observed in IS(+) individuals compared with its controls. Also, the red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were significantly reduced in IS(+) patients, whereas red blood cell, distribution width and mean corpuscular volume, were significantly higher in patients with COVID-19.

Conclusion

Rapid blood tests, including, neutrophil, lymphocytes count and PLR, NLR can be used for early assessment and management of patients with immunosuppression.