Ferritin as a biomarker of infection in COVID-19 non-hospitalized patients

Document Type : Original Article

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Society of Pathological Biochemistry and Hematology, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Serum ferritin is an iron storage protein with a primary role of regulating cellular oxygen metabolism, Ferritin has emerged as a key in the immune system, and its role as an acute phase reactant, recent studies have focused on the role of serum inflammatory markers that predict COVID-19. Patients and methods: This study included 210 non hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection in Alexandria, Egypt, these study subjects were randomly selected irrespective of the age group and both genders were included, Assay procedure as manufactory instructions and Reagents of PerkinElmer Health sciences. Inc USA kit human ferritin enzyme immunoassay test catalog number 10601 was used. Results: The present study included patients aged from14 years to 75 years mean age was 44.5 ±30.5 who were confirmed to have Covid-19 based on real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, the female gender was more frequent (n=132, 62.9%) than Male gender (n=78, 37.1%). This study reveals high serum ferritin level in 150 patients (71.4 %), which was a significant biomarker for COVID-19 diagnosis in non-hospitalized patients (Outpatients and patients under home observation), the p < /em>-value is .014738. Significant at p < /em>< .05. Conclusion and Recommendations: Serum ferritin level is a good biomarker of infection in COVID-19 non-hospitalized patients, many other studies revealed ferritin is a good marker for COVD-19 hospitalized patients,  Increased ferritin levels could cause a cytokine storm by exerting direct immunosuppressive and pro-inflammatory effects, It has been reported that fatal outcomes by COVID-19 are accompanied by cytokine storm syndrome,  Many individuals with diabetes and immunosuppressive diseases exhibit elevated serum ferritin levels, and it is known that they face a higher probability to experience serious complications from COVID-19 infection, so these patients must go to the medical laboratory for serum ferritin level analysis, to decrease ferritin levels might be the treatment with iron chelators. Deferoxamine, which was approved by the FDA, with decreasing dietary iron should be also considered as they have been shown to modify serum ferritin levels.

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