[Predictive value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio on myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 patients].

Chen, Y; Wang, K J; Luo, Y C; Wang, B Z; Zhang, M M; Xu, Y Q; Yang, Y N; Ma, Y T

Objective: To explore the predictive value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 patients. Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we collected and analyzed data form 133 severe COVID-19 patients admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University (Eastern District) from January 30 to February 18, 2020. Patients were divided into myocardial injury group (n=29) and non-myocardial injury group (n=104) according the presence or absence of myocardial injury. The general information of patients was collected by electronic medical record database system. All patients were followed up for 30 days, the organ injury and/or dysfunction were monitored, the in-hospital death was compared between the two groups, and the disease progression was reevaluated and classified at 14 days after initial hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors of myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 patients. The ROC of NLR was calculated, and the AUC was determined to estimate the optimal cut-off value of NLR for predicting myocardial injury in severe cases of COVID-19. Results: There was statistical significance in age, respiratory frequency, systolic blood pressure, symptoms of dyspnea, previous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease history, white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, C-reactive protein, platelet counting, aspartate transaminase, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, urea, estimated glomerular filtration rate, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, D-dimer, CD3+, CD4+, partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of CO2, blood oxygen saturation, other organ injury, clinical outcome and prognosis between patients with myocardial injury and without myocardial injury (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NLR was a risk factor for myocardial injury (OR=1.066，95%CI 1.021-1.111，P=0.033). ROC curve showed that NLR predicting AUC of myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 patients was 0.774 (95%CI 0.694-0.842), the optimal cut-off value of NLR was 5.768, with a sensitivity of 82.8%, and specificity of 69.5%. Conclusion: NLR may be used to predict myocardial injury in severe COVID-19 patients.