Anemia was found to be common in COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized, also, it was linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes.
Most COVID-19 patients who require intensive care develop an atypical form of acute distress respiratory syndrome (ARDS) with preserved lung gas volume, implying that hypoxia caused by physiological processes other than alveolar dysfunction may play a role in disease prognosis.
One of the most important determinants of the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity is hemoglobin concentration.
Low hemoglobin in COVID-19 patients, particularly in those at high risk of complications and mortality, could indicate that the patients’ hemoglobin is unable to support the increased peripheral tissue oxygen demands caused by hyper-metabolic states during infection.
The Association Between Anemia and COVID-19
Anemia may be caused by iron-restricted erythropoiesis caused by changes in iron metabolism.
Increased ferritin levels could be a sign of a severe inflammatory response in COVID-19, or they could be linked to viral entry into the human body and its effects on iron metabolism.
During infections, the innate immune response may limit iron availability to deprive the pathogen of it, a mechanism that could lead to anemia.
Anemia, in turn, decreases oxygen delivery to the tissue and may thus play a role in the development of multi-organ failure.
Anemia was common in COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized, and it was linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes.
Anemia is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severe illness.
As a result, healthcare providers should pay closer attention to COVID-19 patients’ hemoglobin levels upon admission.
It is also critical to be aware of anemia as a risk factor for COVID-19.
Anemia and COVID-19 Studies
Some studies examined the relationship between anemia and COVID-19, results were controversial.
Anemic patients were found to have a higher risk of severe disease and mortality in several studies, the majority of which were conducted in China.
An Italian study found no link between anemia and COVID-19 poor outcomes.
In a Chinese study, There was no link between low Hb levels and COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patients.
One such process could be disturbed iron metabolism. Indeed, recent data show that COVID-19 patients have lower hemoglobin levels, indicating anemia, and pathologically elevated ferritin levels.
A study of 67 COVID-19 patients in Singapore found that while in the intensive care unit (ICU), patients developed more profound and significantly lower hemoglobin levels than patients who were not admitted to the ICU.
Another study of elderly patients hospitalized for COVID-19 found that the majority of patients had hemoglobin levels lower than the normal range, but that there were no significant differences in hemoglobin levels between survivors and non-survivors.
Read Also: Anemia of Chronic Disease
Summary
Low hemoglobin in COVID-19 patients, particularly in those at high risk of complications and mortality, could indicate that the patients’ hemoglobin is unable to support the increased peripheral tissue oxygen demands caused by hyper-metabolic states during infection.
Some studies examined the relationship between anemia and the severity or mortality of COVID-19, results were controversial.
Anemic patients were found to have a higher risk of severe disease and mortality in several studies, the majority of which were conducted in China.
Anemia was common in COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized, and it was linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes.
Anemia is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severe illness. As a result, healthcare providers should pay closer attention to COVID-19 patients’ hemoglobin levels upon admission. It is also critical to be aware of anemia as a risk factor for COVID-19.
References
- Taneri, P., Gómez-Ochoa, S., Llanaj, E., Raguindin, P., Rojas, L., Roa-Díaz, Z., . . . Muka, T. Anemia and iron metabolism In covid-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Retrieved April 28, 2021, from PubMed
- Dinevari, M., Somi, M., Majd, E., Farhangi, M., & Nikniaz, Z. Anemia predicts poor outcomes of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients: A prospective study in Iran. Retrieved April 28, 2021, from PubMed
- Tao, Z., Xu, J., Chen, W., Yang, Z., Xu, X., Liu, L., . . . Liu, J. (2021, March). Anemia is associated with severe illness In covid-19: A retrospective cohort study. Retrieved April 28, 2021, from PubMed
