The Role of De Ritis Ratio as a Clinical Prognostic Parameter in COVID 19 Patients

Background: The study aims to investigate whether the De Ritis ratio can also be used in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 as a follow-up parameter, such as NLR, which is used in the follow-up and treatment of many diseases. Methods: Ninety-nine patients admitted to our hospital with suspected COVID-19 were included in the study. Demographic data of the patients, their history characteristics, presenting symptoms, filiation status, duration of clinical stay, and length of stay in intensive care unit, intubation, dialysis, and plasmapheresis needs were examined. The patients were divided into two groups: PCR positive and PCR negative. The presenting, 5th day, and the clinical discharge values of AST, ALT, LDH, urea, creatine, eGFR, De Ritis ratio, procalcitonin, CRP, WBC, NLR, ferritin, lymphocyte, and D-dimer levels of the patients in both groups were studied. Results: The DM and CAD presence in the histories of PCR-positive patients was found to be statistically significantly higher (p = 0.05, p = 0.03, respectively). Presenting symptoms of headache, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, and taste loss were significantly higher in the PCR-positive patients (p = 0.04, p = 0.02, p = 0.03, p = 0.02, respectively). In the PCR-positive patients, a statistically significant correlation was found between the presenting De Ritis ratios and the presenting NLR, 5th day NLR, and NLR at discharge (p = 0.007, p = 0.02, p = 0.015, respectively). In the PCR-positive group, the 1st and 5th day De Ritis ratios of females were statistically significantly higher than males (p = 0.000, p = 0.006, respectively). Albumin, procalcitonin, length of stay in intensive care unit were significantly higher in the PCR-positive patients, while the presenting D-dimer, presenting WBC, and presenting and 5th day lymphocyte values were significantly higher in the PCR-negative patients. Conclusions: These findings show that the De Ritis ratios can be used in PCR-positive patients as a parameter, such as NLR, to follow-up and determine the prognosis of many diseases.