Assessment of the lipid profile in individuals infected with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus global on March 11, 2020. Lipid dysregulation may be a factor in COVID-19 infection-related morbidity and mortality. The dyslipidemias associated with COVID-19 are likely caused by immune system dysfunction, cytokine storm, and poor lipid metabolism following viral infection. Aim: To identify lipid alterations in COVID-19 patients and their connection to the course of their illness. Methods: Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection who were admitted to the hospital between April and August of 2021 were the subjects of our prospective study. Within the first 24 hours after admission, all patients had their lipid profiles (LDL, HDL, Triglyceride, and Cholesterol) assessed. The patients were then monitored to ascertain how they fared. Results: The study comprised eighty patients; of them, twenty-five (31.2%) were diagnosed as having intermediate disease, and 68.2% of patients as having severe disease. Depending on their state of hospital discharge, the patients were split into two groups: group I, or the survivor group, consisted of 59 (74%) patients, and group II, or the non-survivor group, consisted of 21 (26%) patients. Low HDL was present in 100% of cases, high LDL was present in 47 (58.8%), high triglyceride in 46 (57.5%) and increased cholesterol was present in 40 (50 %) of cases. Triglyceride was significantly higher in non survivors than survivors (194.71±81.14 VS 149.78±50.68, p=0.004). While HDL, LDL and cholesterol levels showed non-significant difference between survivors and non survivors. Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 infection experience disturbances in their lipid metabolism, which may be used as a predictor for their outcome and mortality.