SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019, infected more than six million people in a short time. In COVID-19, the relationship of many laboratory parameters to morbidity and mortality has been defined. In our study, we aimed to determine the relationship of serum vitamin D level to clinical course and prognosis. This study included 108 patients; 88 patients who stayed in Ataturk University and Erzurum City Hospital between March 24, 2020 and May 15, 2020, who were identified as COVID-19 by real-time PCR method from the nasopharyngeal swab and 20 asymptomatic voluntary medical personnel who tested negative for real-time PCR after routine check-up in our hospital. In statistical analysis conducted between healthy control group and vitamin D levels of patients admitted due to COVID-19, it was observed that patients infected with COVID-19 had a lower level (p= 0.004). In 20 patients developing MAS, a lower level of vitamin D was observed (p= 0.004) compared to 68 patients who did not develop. In the comparison of vitamin D levels of the patients (n= 8) who developed exitus in their follow up due to COVID-19, it was observed that vitamin D levels were statistically significantly lower compared to the living (p= 0.009). Due to COVID-19, pandemic, long-running quarantines caused insufficient use of sunlight and worsening of vitamin D deficiency. We wanted to draw attention again with our study to vitamin D which can be responsible for the heavy clinical course of COVID-19 and whose replacement is easy to apply.

Ranunculus arvensis, a plant that is a member of Ranunculaceae family, generally used for local treatment of joint pain, muscle pain, burns, lacerations, edema, abscess drainage, hemorrhoids, and warts among the population. In this case report, we presented three patients who developed chemical skin burns after using R. arvensis plant locally for knee pain. The destructive effect of the plant has been reported previously to be more in fresh plants and less in dried plants. Although protoanemonin, which is considered as the main toxic substance, was reported to be absent in dried or boiled plants, the plant was boiled, cooled, and wrapped over the region with pain in our cases. Therefore, we thought that protoanemonin may be considered to be heat resistant. Also, the burn management proceeded up to surgery by using the flap technique in one of our patients in contrast to the cases found in published reports who were treated by antibiotics and dressings.

Objective: While the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is an ongoing issue across the world, understanding the course of the disease is important for early diagnosis and treatment. We aimed, with this study, to determine the differences between laboratory parameters in different clinical pictures of coronavirus disease 2019. Materials and Methods: The study included 443 patients who presented to Atatürk University Medical Faculty Hospital between March 15, 2020, and June 15, 2020, and were diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 upon a positive Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) result. The hospitalized patients were divided into 4 groups based on their clinical status. The roles of these markers in determining the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 were statistically evaluated. Results: A total of 443 patients with RT-PCR confirmation were included in the study. The mean age was 46.0 ± 19.1 years and 54.4% of the patients were male. According to the clinical classification, 16.3% of the cases were asymptomatic, 25.7% uncomplicated, 35.7% mild/moderate, and 22.3% severe. The first 3 most frequent symptoms were cough (21.3%), fever (17.7%), and fatigue (15.5%). Hypertension (36.1%) was the major comorbidity among the patients. During the follow-up of severe cases, 39.4% developed the need for intensive care. The overall mortality rate, on the other hand, was 4.7%. Regarding laboratory parameters, procalcitonin (PCT), serum ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, neutrophil count, D-dimer, troponin, and lactate dehydrogenase were at the highest level in the severe patient group while albumin, platelet, and lymphocyte count were found to be at the lowest level in the same group. A statistically significant difference was detected between the groups (P < .001). Conclusion: The increase in C-reactive protein, PCT, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ferritin, troponin, D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, and neutrophil count and the decrease in albumin, platelet, and lymphocyte count are significant in the severe patient group; it has been concluded that they can be used to determine the severity of coronavirus disease 2019. Cite this article as: Kesmez Can F, Alay H, Albayrak A, et al. The effects of laboratory parameters on the prognosis of COVID-19. Eurasian J Med., 2022;54(3):242-247.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cryotherapy in elderly patients with rib fractures due to blunt thoracic trauma. In this prospective randomized controlled study, geriatric patients were assigned to groups to receive either coolant spray (n=51) or placebo spray (n=50). The visual analog scale scores of all patients were recorded before starting spray application (V0), as well as at 10th (V1), 20th (V2), 30th (V3), 60th (V4), 120th (V5), and 360th (V6) minute. The mean decreases in the visual analog scale scores were calculated. The differences between V0 and V1, V0 and V2, V0 and V3, and V0 and V4 mean visual analog scale scores measured in the coolant spray group were found to be significantly higher (p<0.001). In V1, V2, V3, and V4 measurements, the incidence of "clinical effectiveness" in the coolant spray group was significantly higher than in the placebo group (p=0.001). Coolant spray therapy can be used as a component of multimodal therapy to provide adequate analgesia due to rib fractures in geriatric patients.

Objective SARS-CoV-2 has caused nearly 4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide in the approximately 4 months since it emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Comorbidities increase morbidity and mortality in COVID-19, and many laboratory parameters have been associated with mortality. The aim of the present study was to identify the relationship between endogenous carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level and the clinical course and prognosis of COVID-19. Methods The study included 48 non-smokers or ex-smokers aged 18 years or older who presented to the emergency department, were diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time PCR analysis of nasopharyngeal swab sample, and were treated in the pulmonary diseases ward of the Atatürk University hospital after between March 24, 2020 and April 15, 2020. The patients’ laboratory parameters and demographic data were analyzed retrospectively. Results Prothrombin time and C-reactive protein (CRP), troponin-I, and D-dimer levels decreased in COVID-19 patients during follow-up (p=0.024, p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001), while PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio and COHb increased (p=0.002, p=0.001). COHb level at admission was significantly lower in patients who developed macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and those who died compared to the other patients (p=0.002, p=0.001). COHb level on day 5 of treatment was significantly higher in patients with ARDS and patients who died (p=0.001, p=0.001).Significant correlations were detected between COHb level and CRP (r=-0.425, p=0.001), ferritin (r=-0.395, p=0.001) and PaO2/FiO2 ratio (r=0.431, p=0.001). Conclusions COHb level may be an easily accessible biomarker that guides early follow-up and treatment planning to avoid ARDS, MAS, and mortality in COVID-19.