Could an Increased Percentage of Immature Granulocytes Accompanying Dyspepsia Predict COVID-19?

• Published in: Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Lithuania), 2022-10, Vol.58 (10), p.1460
• Main Authors: Gisi, Kadir, Gungor, Sukru, Ispiroglu, Murat, Kantarceken, Bulent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Automation; Blood tests; Complaints; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; digestive symptom; dyspepsia; Endoscopy; Gastroenterology; Granulocytes; Hematology; immature granulocyte; Infections; Laboratories; Lymphocytes; Neutrophils; Outpatient care facilities; Pandemics; Pediatrics; Pneumonia; Polymerase chain reaction; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Variables
• ISSN: 1648-9144; 1010-660X; 1648-9144
• DOI: 10.3390/medicina58101460

Background and Aim: Although vaccination practices continue at a fast pace around the world, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) still threatens people’s lives. In this study, we aimed to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in patients who do not have the typical symptoms of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but only present with dyspepsia, and to investigate the role of immature granulocytes in the early diagnosis of these patients. Material and Methods: Adult and pediatric patients suffering from dyspepsia were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups, ‘‘positive’’ and ‘‘negative’’, based on their SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test results. Immature granulocyte count (IG), immature granulocyte percentage (IG%), C-reactive protein (CRP), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) values were recorded. Results: A total of 238 patients, including 25 (10.5%) pediatric and 213 (89.5%) adult patients, were included in the study. A total of 2 (8%) pediatric patients and 17 (7.9%) adult patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The IG, IG%, and CRP parameters were significantly higher in the SARS-CoV-2-positive patients compared to the SARS-CoV-2-negative patients. The optimal cut-off value predictive of COVID-19 infection was determined to be ≥0.650 (sensitivity: 52.6% and specificity: 95.5%, p = 0.001) for IG%. Conclusions: It should be noted that dyspepsia may also be a COVID-19 symptom. IG% values, which can be determined with a hemogram test, a cheap and easily accessible test, may be a warning in the early detection of patients who do not have the typical symptoms of COVID-19.