| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2023 | Volume
: 3
| Issue : 1 | Page : 17-24 |
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The Role of initial and follow-up C-reactive protein titer in COVID-19 pneumonia: A single-center study of 1000 cases in a tertiary care setting in India
Shital Patil1, Ganesh Narwade1, Uttareshvar Dhumal2
1 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, MIMSR Medical College, Latur, Maharashtra, India
2 Department of Radiodiagnosis, MIMSR Medical College, Latur, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
Prof. Shital Patil
Department if Pulmonary Medicine, MIMSR Medical College, Latur, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/jalh.jalh_20_22
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Introduction: Robust data of C-reactive protein (CRP) are available in bacterial infection, and it can be utilized in this coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) pneumonia pandemic for initial assessment before planning of treatment in indoor setting compared to other inflammatory markers and computerized tomography (CT) severity. Methods: A prospective, observational, 12-week-follow-up study, included 1000 COVID-19 cases confirmed with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; all cases were assessed with lung involvement documented and categorized on high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) thorax, oxygen saturation, and inflammatory marker as CRP at entry point and follow-up. Age, gender, comorbidity, use of bilevel positive airway pressure/noninvasive ventilation (BiPAP/NIV), and outcome as with or without lung fibrosis as per CT severity were key observations. Statistical analysis is performed using Chi-square test. Results: The HRCT severity score at entry point has significant correlation with CRP titer [P < 0.00001]. CRP titer has significant association with duration of illness (P < 0.00001). Comorbidities has significant association with CRP titer (P < 0.00001). CRP titer has significant association with oxygen saturation at entry point (P < 0.00001). BiPAP/NIV requirement during hospitalization has significant association with CRP titer (P < 0.00001). Timing of BiPAP/NIV requirement has significant association with CRP titer (P < 0.00001). Follow-up CRP titer during hospitalization compared to entry point normal and abnormal CRP has significant association in post-COVID lung fibrosis (P < 0.00001). Conclusions: CRP has documented a very crucial role in COVID-19 pneumonia in predicting severity of illness, progression of illness, and sequential CRP titers that will help assessing response to treatment during hospitalization and analyzing post-COVID lung fibrosis.
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