Find in Library

Introduction: There are several biomarkers to predict disease severity in Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19); however, more precise biomarkers are still needed to evaluate the disease course. This study aimed to evaluate a potential biomarker, a soluble cluster of differentiation 14 subtype (sCD14-ST, Presepsin), to predict the disease prognosis in severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: This study included 60 randomly selected patients, whose diagnosis was confirmed with severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus- 2 nucleic acid reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and who were hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, and 25 healthy controls. All patients’ clinical and laboratory data were recorded. On day 1 after admission, venous blood samples were tested for C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, fibrinogen, hemogram, presepsin, and other laboratory tests (creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and electrolytes). Mortality rate, intubation rate, and duration of continuous O2 treatment were recorded. Results were evaluated with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: This study included 60 patients with COVID-19 infection as the patient group and 25 participants in the control group, with a total of 85 participants. The mean presepsin levels were significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (1.483±0.147 ng/mL vs 0.873±0.103 ng/mL). Presepsin levels had a weak positive correlation with CRP levels and a strong correlation with procalcitonin levels and creatinine levels. In the patient group, 53 participants have recovered and were discharged, whereas 7 died. No significant difference was found for the presepsin levels in recovering and dying patients in the patient group. Conclusion: New biomarkers are needed to predict prognosis and mortality in severe COVID-19. Presepsin might be promising to predict disease severity in patients with severe COVID-19, especially in special groups, such as patients with chronic renal failure.