According to a new study, the number of white blood cells can assess the risk of developing serious symptoms of COVID-19.
- The rate of white blood cells is an indicator of the risk of developing serious symptoms of COVID-19, according to a new study.
- “These results reinforce the evidence according to which inflammation of low intensity is not only a consequence of the severity of the symptoms of the covid,” note the researchers.
- However, additional research is necessary to confirm the results.
If the COVVI-19 scattered less than five years ago, healthcare professionals continue research to understand this infection. A study published in the journal Menopause shows that it is possible to predict the people most likely to suffer from serious symptoms of COVID-19 based on their level of leukocytes, that is to say white blood cells.
COVID-19: the level of leukocytes linked to an increased risk of serious symptoms
To determine the pre-existing risk factors that may make certain adults more at risk of developing persistent and serious symptoms of COVID, researchers have taken over blood samples from 1,237 women taken before COVVI-19 (between 1993 and 1998). These volunteers were contacted during the pandemic. They were asked to answer a questionnaire between June 2021 and February 2022. They should, among other things, indicate whether they had contracted the coronavirus as well as the symptoms presented.
Analysis of the different data reveals that the rate of white blood cells can be an indicator of the severity of the symptoms of COVID-19 in menopausal women.
“These results reinforce the evidence according to which the inflammation of low intensity is not only a consequence of the severity of the symptoms of the covid, but can also precede the acute infection”specify the authors in their article.
COVID-19: the rate of white blood cells is easy to obtain
If additional research is necessary to confirm the data, the team notes that these first works open a promising path to improve care. It notes, in fact, that the rate of white blood cells is an easy to obtain clinical marker and also inexpensive.
“As the authors point out, the post-Aiguës consequences of a severe acute respiratory infection in the coronavirus considerably affect quality of life, often causing a serious handicap. This effect is particularly pronounced in women, who already have higher rates of cognitive disorders after menopause.underlines Dr. Monica Christmas, assistant medical director of the Society menopause in the press release presenting the study.
