Association between thrombocytopenia and the severity of Covid-19 infection among hospitalized Egyptian patients

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, which is caused by the corona virus 2 that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, causes a respiratory and systemic illness that in 10–15% of patients escalates to a severe form of pneumonia. Thrombocytopenia is frequent in patients with COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate the association between thrombocytopenia and the severity of COVID-19 infection in hospitalized patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done on 800 Egyptian patients with confirmed covid-19 infection. They were divided into Group I (Mild): 200 symptomatic patients meeting the case definition for COVID-19 without radiological evidence of pneumonia or hypoxia. Group II (Moderate): 200 patients with clinical signs of non-severe pneumonia and radiological evidence of pneumonia. Group III (Severe): 200 patients with clinical signs of pneumonia plus: respiratory or lung dysfunction. Group IV: 200 critically ill patient in ICU: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Results: there was a highly statistically significant difference between the studied groups regarding thrombocytopenia (p < 0.001). Thrombocytopenia was statistically higher in severe and critically ill patients. In addition, a statistically significant difference found in outcome among the studied groups (p < 0.05) {critically ill (40%), severe (17.5%)}. The most common cause of death was respiratory failure, which occurred in 28 severe patients (80%) and 65 critically ill patients (81.25%), followed by hemorrhage due to thrombocytopenia, which occurred in 7 severe patients (20%) and 15 critically ill patients, respectively (18.75%). CONCLUSION: The Platelet count is a straightforward, inexpensive, as well as easily available laboratory parameter that is frequently linked to severe covid-19 infection and a significant death risk.