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Review
. 2020 Oct;11(5):269-279.
doi: 10.24171/j.phrp.2020.11.5.02.

COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Laboratory Findings, Comorbidities, and Clinical Outcomes Comparing Medical Staff versus the General Population

Mina Ebrahimi  1   2 , Amal Saki Malehi  3 , Fakher Rahim  1   4
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Laboratory Findings, Comorbidities, and Clinical Outcomes Comparing Medical Staff versus the General Population

Mina Ebrahimi et al. Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

This review compared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) laboratory findings, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes in patients from the general population versus medical staff to aid diagnosis of COVID-19 in a more timely, efficient, and accurate way. Electronic databases were searched up to 23rd March, 2020. The initial search yielded 6,527 studies. Following screening, 24 studies were included [18 studies (11,564 cases) of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the general public, and 6 studies (394 cases) in medical staff] in this review. Significant differences were observed in white blood cell counts (p < 0.001), lymphocyte counts (p < 0.001), platelet counts (p = 0.04), procalcitonin levels (p < 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase levels (p < 0.001), and creatinine levels (p = 0.03) when comparing infected medical staff with the general public. The mortality rate was higher in the general population than in medical staff (8% versus 2%). This review showed that during the early stages of COVID-19, laboratory findings alone may not be significant predictors of infection and may just accompany increasing C-reactive protein levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and lactate dehydrogenase levels. In the symptomatic stage, the lymphocyte and platelet counts tended to decrease. Elevated D-dimer fibrin degradation product was associated with poor prognosis.

Keywords: COVID-19; meta-analysis; prognostic factors; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the inclusion criteria of studies eligible for meta-analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Plots of the proportions of deaths (A), discharge rates (B), and those remaining in hospital due to COVID-19 (C) in the general population and in medical staff.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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