Cell population data: Could a routine hematology analyzer aid in the differential diagnosis of COVID‐19?

Introduction: Cell population data (CPD) are background optical signals measured during complete blood count analysis on hematology analyzers that reflect structural and morphological characteristics of leukocytes. Our aim was to assess the value of CPD obtained on Sysmex XN-1000 in the differential diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the early stage of the disease. Methods: This retrospective study included 114 COVID-19 confirmed cases and 88 negative patients presenting with respiratory flu-like symptoms for whom laboratory analysis was performed at hospital admission. Results of leukocyte count, including CPD, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were compared between the two groups. Results: All CPD except lymphocyte internal complexity (LY-WX) and monocyte nucleic acid content (MO- WY) were significantly different in COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 cases (P