Comparison of Biochemical and Hematological Parameters Among COVID-۱۹ Patients With and Without Vaccination in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Retrospective

Background: The availability of the COVID-۱۹ vaccine during the pandemic has changed the disease course in the entire world. The current study aimed to compare various hematological parameters among COVID-۱۹ patients with and without vaccination. Methods: The present retrospective study included ۲۶ vaccinated and ۲۶ non-vaccinated COVID-۱۹ patients. Various clinical and biochemical parameters of RT-PCR-positive patients were collected. The values are expressed in Mean±SD or median values IQR. Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between the groups.  Results: Among the vaccinated individuals, ۱۷ cases (۶۵.۴%) were asymptomatic, one patient (۳.۸%) had moderate, eight cases (۳۰.۸%) had mild COVID-۱۹ infection and all ۲۶ patients were completely recovered. Among non-vaccinated COVID-۱۹ patients, ۲۵ cases (۹۶.۲%) had severe, one case (۳.۸%) had moderate COVID-۱۹, and ۱۶ patients (۶۱.۵%) recovered but ten cases succumbed to COVID-۱۹. There were statistically significant differences in SpO۲, total leucocyte count, and differential counts of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, and basophils between vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients (P<۰.۰۰۱). The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was found to be at a higher level (P<۰.۰۱) among non-vaccinated patients [۱۰.۹(۴.۲۸-۲۳.۶۳)]  compared to vaccinated [۱.۵۵(۱.۰۹-۲.۲۸)]. The blood urea, total and direct bilirubin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), and inflammatory markers, like C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were highly elevated in non-vaccinated patients (P<۰.۰۰۱). Moreover, lower values of total protein, serum albumin, and albumin and globulin (A/G) ratio were noted in the non-vaccinated compared to vaccinated individuals (P<۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: Vaccinated patients had milder disease with fewer derangements of hematological parameters compared to non-vaccinated patients. It can be concluded that vaccine has played a vital role during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic in reducing mortality.

Keywords:

COVID-۱۹ , Inflammatory markers , Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio , Retrospective studies , Vaccine.