
Investigation of the level of C3 and C4 inflammatory markers in COVID-19 diabetic compared with non-diabetic patients
Arad Monshizadeh 1, Monirsadat Mirzadeh 2, Seyedeh Sara Nazem Sadati 3, Bahareh Abd Nikfarjam 4 ©, Fatemeh Eftekhari 5 ℗, Fatemeh Eftekhari 6
Abstract
Investigation of the level of C3 and C4 inflammatory markers in COVID-19 diabetic compared with non-diabetic patients 2. Introduction: Coronavirus, the cause of the COVID-19 disease, is a priority of global health in recent years. Given the high incidence of the COVID-19 disease in the diabetic patients, further research is an undeniable necessity for its better management. According to the results of studies and the existence of a significant relationship between inflammatory factors in diabetic patients with the COVID-19 epidemic, this study aimed to evaluate the level of C3 and C4 inflammatory markers in COVID-19 patients with diabetes mellitus. Comparisons are made with non-diabetics. 3. Methods and Materials: This epidemiological-analytical study (control case, cohort) was performed on diabetic and nondiabetic patients with COVID-19 who referred to Qazvin Bouali Hospital in 2021. To diagnose patients with COVID-19 with an infectious disease physician and by PCR test and how to diagnose diabetic and non-diabetic patients using patients' records and documents as well as BS checks at the time of hospitalization of patients in Bu Ali Hospital. Entrance criteria for the study included an age range of 45 to 75 years, COVID-19 infection, and willingness to participate in the study. All participants were given sufficient information about the study, and informed consent was obtained from all participants, approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Medical Sciences. 4. Results: Based on the results of the present study, participants were 104 patients with COVID-19 (52 diabetic patients and 52 non-diabetic patients). There was no significant difference between the groups in the demographic factors. In diabetic patients, the mean percentage of lymphocytes and RBC was low, and the mean percentage of neutrophils, platelets, CRP, and FBS was high. In diabetic patients, factor C3 levels were lower and factor C4 levels were higher. The duration of hospitalization in diabetic patients was significantly longer than in non-diabetic patients (P value:0.031). The frequency of death was 26.9% in diabetic patients and 15.4% in non-diabetic patients. 5. Conclusion and Discussion: In diabetic patients, age, mortality rate, and duration of the disease were higher than in non-diabetic patients, and lymphocytes and RBC were at a low level. Also, the level of inflammatory factors, C3, was lower, and C4 was higher in diabetic patients. Inflammatory indices can be used to predict the condition of patients with COVID-19, especially in patients with diabetes.
Keywords: C3, C4, CRP levels, diabetic, COVID-19, inflammatory markers