Impact of Inflammatory Biomarkers and Cycle Threshold (Ct) Values on the Progression of COVID-19 Disease in Iraq—Wasit Governorate

Abstract Background: The relationship between the severity of COVID-19 disease and key biomarkers such as D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and ferritin, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), as well as their association with cycle threshold (Ct) and blood group, is important to understand thoroughly for managing COVID-19. Objectives: This study aimed to measure the levels of these biomarkers and their relationship to the other clinical data of patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 229 collected specimens including 45 severe to critical cases, 45 mild to moderate cases, as well as 50 recoveries, and 89 healthy control groups were diagnosed using real-time polymerase chain reaction, and a blood test was performed using an automated analyzer. Results: The results showed that older individuals and those with higher weights are more susceptible to developing severe COVID-19 infections, whereas younger age groups and individuals with lower weights are more likely to recover from this disease. Furthermore, the study found no clear association between the COVID-19 virus and fluctuations in hemoglobin levels. However, significant statistical increases were observed in two patient groups compared to the recovered group and the reference ranges for white blood cell count, NLR, and concentrations of CRP, ferritin, D-dimer, and LDH. Conclusions: Elderly individuals and those with chronic medical conditions may exhibit higher viral loads (measure by Ct values) that correlate positively with elevated levels of CRP, D-dimer, LDH, and ferritin concentrations. However, it is important to note that this study does not emphasize blood type as a predictive model for COVID-19 disease.