The relationship between laboratory and chest computed tomography scan findings and severity of COVID-19 cases: a single center study

Background: Para-clinical abnormalities are considered as predictors of COVID-19 severity. We aimed at evaluate the relationship between laboratory and chest computed tomography (CT) scan findings and severity of COVID-19 cases. Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective study on confirmed COVID-19 patients in Amir-Al-Momenin hospital, Tehran, Iran, from February 20, 2020 to April 19, 2020. Para-clinical characteristics of the patients including chest CT scan and laboratory findings were recruited from patients’ medical records. Then we evaluated the relationship between laboratory and chest CT scan findings and severity of COVID-19 cases. We performed statistical analysis using descriptive methods and analytical tests by SPSS statistical software version-24. Results: With lung involvement to more than 50%, the severity of the disease changed severely and critically (P=0.008). In addition, WBC and Poly counts, ALP and BUN levels increased with increasing disease severity (P> 0.05). Predictive variables explain 32.4% of the changes in the criterion variable. Conclusion: Lung involvement more than 75% and poly count variables were positive predictors of disease severity. Indeed, each unit increase in lung involvement ploy count, disease severity increases by 27.1% and 43.8%, respectively. Laboratory and chest CT scan findings can be efficient tools for prognostic stratification of COVID-19 patients and management of this infection.