Evaluation of a potential prognostic parameter for the inflammatory status in COVID‐19 patients: The inflammatory protein ratio. Issue 15 (19th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Antonucci, Francescopaolo; Di Carlo, Domenico; Falcone, Michele
• Is Part Of: Electrophoresis. Volume 43:Issue 15(2022)
• Page Start: 1647
• Page End: 1654
• Publication Date: 2022-05-19
• Subjects: albumin -- COVID‐19 -- inflammatory state -- SARS‐COV‐2 -- serum protein electrophoresis; Electrophoresis -- Periodicals; Electrophoresis -- Periodicals; 541.372
• DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100396
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0173-0835

Abstract

Abstract: C‐reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and d ‐dimer are determined in the human plasma of 2745 hospitalized patients with and without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) by automated‐latex enhanced immunoassay and immuno‐turbidimetric assay. SARS‐COV‐2 RNA qualitative test, real time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) based, is performed in nasopharyngeal swabs to confirm those with SARS‐COV‐2 positivity. Furthermore, serum proteins are separated and quantified in all the patients by serum protein electrophoresis (SPE). A new SPE parameter, inflammatory protein ratio (IPR), is elaborated for the first time by a mathematical equation that considers the albumin, α1‐globulin, and α2‐globulin. IPR normal reference range (10.7%–28.3%) is calculated considering the normal reference range of albumin, α1‐globulin, and α2‐globulin obtained for controls. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's, Kruskal–Wallis, and Spearman's tests application show that IPR significantly correlates with direct proportionality with d ‐dimer, CRP, and fibrinogen. Significant ( p < 0.001) increase of these parameters, IPR included, is detected in COVID‐19 patients only. Our results show that IPR is more specific for monitoring inflammatory status thanks to its correlation with the only three serum proteins involved in inflammation: albumin, α1‐globulin, and α2‐globulin. Furthermore, IPR can simplify the interpretation of SPE results about inflammatory status, being of unique value compared to the six‐serum protein classes separately presented in the typical SPE clinical reports.