Investigation of C-reactive Protein and D-dimer Findings in Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer by age and gender in the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus. Methods: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) diagnoses were made according to the results of real-time polymerase chain reaction and lung computed tomography (n=70). In the study, CRP and coagulation were examined as indicators of inflammation, and D-dimer was examined as an indicator of fibrinolytic system activity. Patients' age, gender, and CRP and D-dimer values were analyzed with Spearman's rho correlation, whereas the gender factor was analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Although D-dimer levels were high in women, there was no statistical significance. A correlation was identified between CRP and gender, and the levels in male patients were higher (p=0.049). A positive correlation was found between the patients' age and CRP and D-dimer findings. Conclusion: There are two main findings in this study. First, age and gender arc essential parameters in disease findings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their importance overlaps with the finding that inflammation is severe in elderly males and that the mortality is higher than in younger individuals. Second, the CRP and D-dimer test results can he used as practical and reliable biomarkers for COVID-19. We propose that if these two tests, which arc already used routinely, arc interpreted with consideration of age and gender, they can he used more efficiently in early diagnosis and isolation.