Blood Cell Indices and Morphological Abnormalities Detected Among COVID-19 Patients Receiving Care

• DOI: 10.28991/scimedj-2023-05-01-02
• Publication Date: 2023-08-20T07:43:27Z
• Authors: Kofi Mensah; Victor O. Ofori; Charles Nkansah; Samuel K. Appiah; David S. Sackey; Vincent Kawuribi; Simon B. Bani; Hisham A. Osumanu; Selina Mintaah; Helen Owusu-Asante; Gabriel Abbam; Nicholas Klevor; Felix O-Boakye; Samira Daud; Charles A. Derigubah
• Keywords: complete blood count; rt-pcr; morphological abnormalities.; Dermatology; FOS: Health sciences; Coronavirus Disease 2019 Research; Schistocyte; Coronavirus Disease 2019; Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura; Health Sciences; Echinocyte; Pathology; Internal medicine; RC254-282; Cross-sectional study; Complete blood count; Cutaneous Manifestations of COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review; Platelet; Gastroenterology; Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens; Venous blood; Red blood cell; Infectious Diseases; covid-19; Medicine; Eosinopenia; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Clinical Characteristics

Blood cell abnormalities may occur among COVID-19 patients and could be detrimental during the disease’s progression. This study assessed complete blood count (CBC) parameters and determined abnormal changes in the peripheral blood of COVID-19 patients receiving care at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Ghana. This hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at KATH, Kumasi, Ghana, recruited seventy-three (73) RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 participants. Venous blood was taken from participants into EDTA tubes and used for CBC analyses and the preparation of a thin blood film for blood cell morphological examination. Data obtained were analyzed with SPSS version 22.0, and p< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Females were predominant (45/61.6) and had a higher COVID-19 cycle threshold (CT) value than males (p=0.027). The overall prevalence of anaemia among the study participants was 56.2% (65.5% in males and 50% in females). Geriatrics (>70 years old) had relatively lower Hb compared to other age groups in the study. Erythrocytopaenia (18/73), leucocytosis (28/73), lymphopaenia (9/73), and thrombocytopaenia (21/73) were common among the COVID-19 participants. Red cell morphological abnormalities were seen in the study participants: echinocytes (11/73), elliptocytes (6/73), stomatocytes (1/73), acanthocytes (4/73), pencil-shaped cells (5/73), schistocytes (15/73), ovalocytes (2/73) and target cells (1/73). Moreover, the acanthocytes were significantly higher in males compared to females (4 vs. 0, p=0.019). Again, reactive lymphocytes (8/73), neutrophil toxic granulation (18/73), neutrophil cytoplasmic vacuolation (42/73), smear cells (8/73), and one each of atypical lymphocyte and Dohle body were present among the COVID-19 participants. The COVID-19 CT value was lower among male participants. The overall prevalence of anaemia among COVID-19 participants was high, with males and the aged (>70 years) predominantly affected. COVID-19 patients have abnormal blood cell counts and significant morphological abnormalities in peripheral blood. Early detection of haematological abnormalities would be beneficial in the management of COVID-19 patients. Further study to assess the haematopoietic activities of COVID-19 patients is recommended. Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2023-05-01-02 Full Text: PDF