Comparison of laboratory parameters in mild vs. severe cases and died vs. survived patients with COVID-19: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: This study aimed to summarize the available data on the association between the severity of (COVID-19) and routine blood indicators, inflammatory, biochemical parameters and coagulation parameter. Methods: A literature search was conducted of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Sciences, CNKI, WanFang database providing relevant data. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool effect sizes. Results: In patients with severe symptoms, interleukin-6, [IL-6; standardized mean difference (SMD) =1.15, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.01, 1.29, P<0.001, n=1,121], interleukin-10 (IL-10; SMD =0.92, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.08, P<0.001, n=782), interleukin-4 (IL-4; SMD =0.2, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.39, P=0.04, n=500), procalcitonin (PCT; SMD =1.16, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.33, P<0.001, n=734), C-reactive protein (CRP; SMD =1.42, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.57, P<0.001, n=1,286), serum amyloid A (SAA; SMD =2.82, 95% CI: 2.53, 3.11, P<0.001, n=502) neutrophil count (SMD =0.63, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.82, P<0.001, n=558), alanine aminotransferase (ALT; SMD =2.72, 95% CI: 2.43, 3.02, P<0.001, n=538), aspartate aminotransferase (AST; SMD =2.75, 95% CI: 2.37, 3.12, P<0.001, n=313), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; SMD =4.01, 95% CI: 3.79, 4.24, P<0.001, n=1,055), creatine kinase (CK; SMD =2.62, 95% CI: 2.2, 3.03, P<0.001, n=230;), CK-MB isoenzyme (CK-MB; SMD =3.07, 95% CI: 2.81, 3.34, P<0.001, n=600, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT; SMD =0.63, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.87, P<0.001, n=351), and prothrombin time (P-T; SMD =1.83, 95% CI: 1.55, 2.11, P<0.001, n=351) were significantly higher than in patients with mild symptoms. On the contrary, lymphocyte count (SMD =-1.04, 95% CI: -1.21, -0.86, P<0.001, n=805) platelets (SMD =-1.47, 95% CI: -1.7, -1.24, P<0.001, n=653), monocyte count (SMD =-0.56, 95% CI: -0.8, -0.32, P<0.001, n=403), and albumin (SMD =-2.95, 95% CI: -3.21, -2.7, P<0.001, n=637) was significantly lower in patients with severe symptoms than in patients with mild symptoms. IL-6 (SMD =2.62, 95% CI: 2.15, 3.09, P<0.001, n=185), PCT (SMD =0.2, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.23, P<0.001, n=156), creatinine (SMD =2.29, 95% CI: 1.87, 2.7, P<0.001, n=213), and neutrophil counts (SMD =2.77, 95% CI: 2.38, 3.16, P<0.001, n=260) in patients with COVID-19 in the death group were significantly higher than that in patients in the survival group, while the lymphocyte count was significantly lower. Conclusions: In summary, current evidence show that those laboratory indicators are associated with the severity of COVID-19 and thus could be used as prognostic risk stratification of patients with COVID-19.

A systematic review on the application of vascular endothelial growth factors in preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is a disease associated with elevated blood pressure during pregnancy, accounting for 5-10% of all pregnancies, which includes: gestational hypertension, preeclampsia (PE), eclampsia, chronic hypertension with superimposed PE and chronic hypertension. PE is the most prevalent type of HDP that seriously threatens the life and health of mothers and infants. In-depth exploration of the pathogenesis can play an early role in predicting the disease. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and other databases in the article. It was investigated by searching for literature published between 1993 and March 2021; the subject terms included-"vascular endothelial growth factor", "preeclampsia", and "pathogenesis". In the article, the inclusion criteria of literature should meet the definition of PE. It was excluded as reviews, case reports, narrative reviews, and publications that lack key information. RESULTS: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family factor research provides pivotal value for early clinical prediction of PE. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1)/placental growth factor (PlGF) became a marker for early prediction of PE. Through the included 51 articles, the analysis of VEGF in PE and its pathway factors was summarized to clarify the pathogenesis further and provide innovative ideas for future research directions and clinical diagnosis. DISCUSSION: A systematic review of the VEGF family in the pathogenesis of PE was concluded in the study to find angiogenesis markers of PE from the pathogenesis of the available literature. Therefore, early intervention of clinical diseases could reduce maternal complications and ensure the maximum health of mothers and babies. There are differences in the research results of factors in the VEGF family, and further research is needed to provide accurate clinical evidence.