Clinico-Epidemiological Laboratory Findings of COVID- 19 Positive Patients in a Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Wafa Elhag,1,2 Bahaeldin K Elamin,1,3 Ebtehal Idris,4 Azza Elsheikh,1 Khaled Ghaleb,4 Ibtihal Fallatah,5 Doaa Hassan,5 Mahmoud Elkhalifa,5 Ehssan Moglad,6 Ali Eleragi1 1Department of Basic Medical Sciences (Microbiology Unit), College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia; 2Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Al Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan; 3Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan; 4Medical Laboratories Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia; 5Laboratory and ICU (Medical Department) King Abdullah Hospital-Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Wafa Elhag, Department of Basic Medical Sciences (Microbiology Unit), College of Medicine, University of Bisha, P.O.Box 1290, Bisha, 61922, Saudi Arabia, Email welhag@ub.edu.saBackground: Understanding COVID-19’s onset and clinical effects requires knowing host immune responses.Objective: To investigate the presence of IgM, IgG, and cytokine levels (IL-2 and IL-6) in individuals with COVID-19 who have had their diagnosis confirmed by PCR.Methods: This cross-sectional research included 70 adult ICU patients from King Abdullah Hospital in Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Subjects gave two blood samples. After hospital release, only 21 patients provided the second sample. Each patient provided a sample upon admission. Quantitative ELISAs evaluated IL-2, IL-6, and SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG antibodies.Results: All patients were critically ill and unvaccinated against COVID-19. 46 (65.7%) of the patients were male, and their age range was 33– 98 years (with a mean age of 66.5); 24.3%) were 51– 61 years old. IgG was positive in all patients, although IgM predominated in 57/70 (81.4%) (6– 1200 IU/mL). Total data analysis yielded these results. IL-6 was calculated at 10– 1900 ng/mL, whereas IL-2 was 4– 280. Discharged hospital patients had a statistically significant increase in IgM and IgG (P = 0.01, 0.004) but a statistically insignificant decline in IL-6 and IL-2 (P = 0.761, 0.071). Low IgM levels increased hospital stays. The study found lengthier hospital stays with higher IgG levels.Conclusion: The identification of IgM and IgG antibodies, greater IL-6 levels, and lower IL-2 levels can help diagnose and monitor COVID-19 infection.Keywords: COVID-19 patients, antibodies, cytokines levels, PCR test, ELISA, Saudi Arabia