Investigating the relationship between serum ACE 2 level and COVID-19 patients' prognosis: a cross-sectional study

Mohammadi, P.; Varpaei, H. A.; Seifi, A.; Zahak Miandoab, S.; Beiranvand, S.; Mobaraki, S.; Mohammadi, M.

Background: The only known receptor for this virus in the human body is ACE2, the same known receptor for the SARS virus. Material and Method: In this single-center cross-sectional study, 38 hospitalized adult ([≥]18 years) patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were identified in the infectious disease ward in Imam Khomeini hospital complex. The study also has been approved in ethics committee of Tehran University of medical sciences with ethic code: 99/11/101/16529. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant when a two-tailed test was performed. Result: Among the 38 patients, the mean age was 64.13 years, 52.6% were male, 42% were PCR test positive and 39.5% was expired. The most common presenting symptoms were cough (80%), fever (75.5%), dyspnea (60.5%), myalgias (35.8%), diarrhea (20%), and nausea and vomiting (15%). There were not any significant differences between expired and discharged group in terms of serum ACE2 level. Results were similar between discharged and expired patients in the subgroup analysis of 38 patients. Conclusion: It seems that serum ACE 2 level is not correlated with COVID-19 patients' prognosis. However, it seems that more researches are required to confirm supposed association between serum ACE2 level and inflammatory biomarkers, clinical outcome, and patient's survival.