Abstract

Covid immunization gives protection against COVID-19 infection and severity of disease. CRP level could early predict COVID-19-associated severe pneumonia or mortality. Vaccination is associated with reduced level of CRP in infected but immunized patients. This study's objective was to compare CRP levels between vaccinated (Single/Double dose vaccinated population) and Non vaccinated group), so as to assess severity of infection on admission and use it as prognostic marker. Methodology: Present retrospective study was conducted on 203 patients of laboratory confirmed (by RT-PCR) COVID 19 infection, admitted to peripheral hospital facilities in K.B. Bhabha Hospital. We assessed the severity of the Covid-19 sickness with the help of CRP (C-reactive Protein) levels. Based on Vaccination, patients were classified in 2 groups and demographic variable, CRP and outcome were this to whether or not they had received a vaccination. The data was entered and analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The statistical analysis used descriptive statistics like percentage and inferential statistics like the Chi-Square test. Statistics were considered significant for P-values less than 0.05. Results: In the present study, mean age was 48.38±16.37 years. Slight male preponderance was seen (52.7% males and 47.3% females). 33% patients had Comorbidities. 36(17.7%) were vaccinated, only 1st dose was taken by 15(7.4%) patients and both 1st and 2nd Dose by 21(10.3%) patients. 167(82.3%) were not vaccinated. 176(86.7%) patients were discharged with recovery and 13.3% patients died. 18.8% of discharged patients were vaccinated and only 11.1% of died patients were vaccinated (p value 0.333). Mean CRP levels was significantly higher than lower age group, in patients with Co-morbidities (76.4±73.3 vs 36.0±58.2 mg/dL), in unvaccinated patients (54.2±66.5 vs 28.2±61.8 mg/dL) and in died patients (133.7±81.6 vs 36.7±53.2 mg/dL) (all p value <0.01). In vaccinated patients, CRP can predict mortality with 100% Sensitivity and Specificity of 90.1%, cut off value being 59.65 mg/dL. AUC was 0.970 and p value 0.033. In unvaccinated patients, CRP can predict mortality with Sensitivity of 79.7% and Specificity of 79.2%, cut off value being 70.59 mg/dL. AUC was 0.866 and p value 0.030. Conclusion: Mean CRP level was significantly lower in vaccinated group. CRP levels had better Sensitivity and Specificity for prediction for mortality in vaccinated group (cut off value 59.65 mg/dL) compared to unvaccinated group (cut off value 70.59 mg/dL). Also, mortality was lesser in vaccinated patients when compared to the unvaccinated ones.

Description

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