Introduction:

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a worldwide challenge. There are few useful tools to predict patient outcomes. Identification of biomarkers able to predict progression of the disease could improve the treatment of these patients.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to identify biomarkers of disease progression among patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Materials and methods:

A retrospective cohort study was conducted among severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients hospitalized in the American British Cowdray Medical Center in Mexico City. Disease progression was defined as use of vasoactive amines, need of non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation or death. Studied biomarkers included neutrophil/lymphocyte index, lymphocyte/platelet Ratio, C reactive protein, procalcitonin, D Dimer, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, 25-OH-Vitamin D, and interleukin 6.

Results:

We report 46 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Mean age was 51 years, the majority of whom 30 (65%) male. Median hospitalization was 9 days. 23 (50%) of patients presented disease progression. Ferritin and LDH were strongly associated with disease progression among our cohort. In addition, age was associated with worst prognosis with a relative risk 4.5 (1.2-16.9, p = 0.003).

Conclusions:

Age, ferritin, and LDH were associated with disease progression among patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.