Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To investigate the predictive value of neutrophil (NEU), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and modified early warning score (MEWS) alone and in combination for the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 complicated by bloodstream infection (BSI), and to determine whether the combined detection of these three factors can enhance the predictive efficacy.
METHODS Atotal of 188 COVID-19 patients complicated by BSI who were hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from Dec. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2024, were enrolled and divided into a good prognosis group and a poor prognosis group. General information, MEWS calculation, hematological indicators, imaging results and other clinical data were collected and comparatively analyzed.
RESULTS Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that factors associated with the prognosis of COVID-19 patients complicated by BSI included age, ≥3 comorbidities, deep vein catheterization, parenteral nutrition (PN), MEWS, NEU, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), LDH, interleukin (IL)-8, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (ALB), pleural effusion and pulmonary consolidation (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age, PN, NEU, LDH and MEWS were independent risk factors for the prognosis of COVID-19 patients complicated by BSI (P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the areas under the curve (AUC) for predicting the prognosis of COVID-19 patients complicated by BSI by age, PN, NEU, LDH and MEWS were 0.684, 0.842, 0.788, 0.731 and 0.913, respectively. When NEU, LDH and MEWS were combined, a more significant predictive efficacy was achieved (AUC=0.958).
CONCLUSIONS Age, PN, NEU, LDH and MEWS are independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of COVID-19 patients complicated by BSI. The combination of NEU, LDH and MEWS demonstrates the highest prognostic predictive value in COVID-19 patients complicated by BSI.