Implications of Inflammatory markers for disease management in patients with chronic kidney disease and COVID-19 infection: A cross-sectional study from North India

Background: The world witnessed the emergence of a global pandemic. Individuals with chronic illnesses like chronic kidney disease (CKD), already known to be immunologically compromised, have the potential to develop a scenario of an acute-on-chronic condition on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) contraction. Measurement of serum inflammatory biomarkers like interleukin (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and ferritin may foresee the prognosis despite the pre-existing low-grade inflammation in these patients. Aims: To determine the utility of serum IL-6, hsCRP and Ferritin levels to determine COVID-19 severity and probable prognosis in CKD patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 100 adult known cases of stage 5 of CKD, recently diagnosed as COVID-19 positive by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The study population was divided into two groups according to COVID-19 severity: A non-severe and a severe group based on guidelines given in the Clinical Management Protocol: COVID-19. Their clinical and laboratory data obtained on the day of admission were analysed. Results: The severe group (n = 17) had 65% of males and 35% of females. A significant difference was found with respect to the age, body mass index and serum IL-6, hsCRP and ferritin levels between the two groups (P < 0.05). Among the three inflammatory biomarkers, hsCRP was found to have the maximum potential to categorise COVID-19 as severe or non-severe disease. Conclusion: Similar to patients with uncomplicated COVID-19 disease, higher serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers – IL-6, hsCRP and ferritin are seen in patients of CKD with severe COVID-19 illness in comparison to those with non-severe COVID-19, despite having a pre-existing background of low-grade chronic inflammation. The serum levels of IL-6, hsCRP and ferritin can be utilised to determine COVID-19 severity and probable prognosis in CKD patients with COVID-19.