Predictive value of eosinophil count on COVID-19 disease progression and
outcomes, a retrospective study of Leishenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China.
Abstract
Background: The potential protective role of eosinophils in the COVID-19
pandemic has aroused great interest, given their potential virus
clearance function and the infection resistance of asthma patients to
this coronavirus. However, it is unknown whether eosinophil counts could
serve as a predictor of the severity of COVID-19. Methods: A total of
1004 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to Leishenshan
Hospital in Wuhan, China, were enrolled in this study, including 905
patients in the general ward and 99 patients in the ICU. We reviewed
their medical data to analyze the association between eosinophils and
intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death. Results: Of our 1004
patients with COVID-19, low eosinophil counts/ratios were observed in
severe cases. After adjusting for confounders that could have affected
the outcome, we found that eosinophil counts might not be a predictor of
intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In 99 ICU patients, 58 of whom
survived and 41 of whom died, low eosinophil level was an indicator of
death in patients with severe COVID-19, with a cutoff value of 0.04 ×
109/L for the prediction of death. Conclusion: Our research revealed
that a low eosinophil level was a predictor of death in ICU patients
rather than a cause of ICU admission.