THE CORRELATION BETWEEN NEUTROPHIL-TO-LYMPHOCYTE AND CLINICAL SEVERITY IN PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 IN DAMMAM CITY, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Background: COVID-19 is a global pandemic. spreading via respiratory droplets. Patient condition who is infected with COVID-19 can deteriorate to acute respiratory distress syndrome and lead to death. Some laboratory parameters have to be obtained in order to assess the severity of that inflammation such as NLR.

Objective: To determine the relationship between NLR and mortality in COVID-19 patients, and to predict the outcome of high NLR in COVID-19 patients.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Sitting: Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam city, kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: 162 patients aged above 15 years positively diagnosed with COVID-19 were reviewed.

Results: mean age of the patients was 46.5, with more than a half were in the older age. Males dominated than females with more than two-thirds were non-Saudis. prevalence of patients with chronic diseases was 43.2% while those with pneumonia was 58.6%. The outcome shows 92% recovered and (8%) death. NLR was higher in males compared to females (T=1.523; p=0.004) and in non-Saudi’s versus Saudis(T=-3.054; p<0.001).Patients with pneumonia had higher NLR mean value (T=4.295; p<0.001). NLR mean value of non-survival patients was significantly higher compared to those who recovered (T=5.663; p=0.001).

Conclusion: high NLR was associated with an increased rate of morbidity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection. NLR remain extremely useful prognostic factors in categorizing illness severity due to COVID-19