Using Clinical and Biochemical Parameters for Safer Discharges in COVID-19: A Comparative Study

The objective of this retrospective case control study was to determine clinical and biochemical parameters associated with a poorer prognostic outcome in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 pneumonias and use these to create safe discharge guidelines. This study in a single respiratory ward of a district general hospital compared admission and discharge C- reactive protein (CRP) levels, eosinophil and lymphocyte counts, respiratory rate, oxygen saturations and NEWS2 score from two groups of patients admitted with either confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia (46 patients) or pneumonia of other aetiology (45 patients). Outcome was defined as either ‘good’ or ‘poor’. Combined values of prognostic markers analysed by binary logistic regression followed by ROC analysis showed a final combined AUC value of 0.955 thus yielding a test that had a better prognostic capability in predicting the outcome of patients with COVID-19. This combined test could be used to guide safe discharge of patients with COVID-19.