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Karapetyan A, Niazyan L, Shushanyan R, Abgaryan T, Iritsyan S, Galechyan T, Sargsyan K, Grigoryan A. Morphological abnormalities of peripheral blood cells among patients with COVID-19 disease. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24527. [PMID: 38304781 PMCID: PMC10831726 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The hematological changes in COVID-19 patients continue to receive great attention, especially in the field of public health. To our knowledge, coronavirus disease may be identified based on the severity of illness, and the study of peripheral blood smears may offer important information to facilitate the identification. Thus, we evaluated the morphological abnormalities (atypical and immature lymphocytes, lymphocytes with micronuclei, various nuclear abnormalities among erythrocytes) and quantitative changes in peripheral blood cells among 48 individuals with COVID-19 disease. Methods The present study is a retrospective analysis of 48 individuals, including 24 hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease. The blood smears of all patients were subjected to a hematological examination to identify various morphological abnormalities in white and red blood cells. In addition, a micronucleus test was conducted to assess the incidence of chromosomal damage in lymphocytes. Furthermore, the complete blood count (CBC) was performed to evaluate changes in peripheral blood cells, particularly the differential total leukocyte count, which could indicate the immune response against viral infection in COVID-19 patients. Results The findings of the hematological study conducted on patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease revealed neutrophilia, eosinophilia, mild monocytosis, decreased hematocrit level, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and immature leukocytes. It was observed that patients who were infected with coronavirus demonstrated mild thrombocytopenia. Furthermore, the micronucleus test indicated the presence of immature cells with micronuclei among lymphocytes and numerous nuclear abnormalities in red blood cells. These results help to shed light on the hematological changes that occur in COVID-19 patients, and could potentially contribute to the development of more effective treatments for the disease. Conclusions The examination of complete blood counts (CBCs) in conjunction with peripheral blood smears offers a potential means of identifying the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the hematopoietic and immune systems, thereby providing early indications of inflammation. Based on a study, it has been suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may affect red and white blood cells causing morphological alterations thereby establishing a corresponding relationship with disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Karapetyan
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, RA, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia
| | - Lyudmila Niazyan
- National Centre of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, Armenia
| | - Ruzanna Shushanyan
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, RA, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia
| | - Tamara Abgaryan
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, RA, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia
| | - Sevan Iritsyan
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, RA, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia
| | | | - Knarik Sargsyan
- National Centre of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, Armenia
| | - Anna Grigoryan
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, RA, Yerevan, 0025, Armenia
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Wang Q, Qin Y, Ma J, Zhou K, Xia G, Li Y, Xie L, Afful RG, Lan Q, Huo X, Zou J, Yang H. An early warning indicator of mortality risk in patients with COVID-19: the neutrophil extracellular traps/neutrophilic segmented granulocyte ratio. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1287132. [PMID: 38348024 PMCID: PMC10859410 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1287132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play a key role in thrombus formation in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the existing detection and observation methods for NETs are limited in their ability to provide quantitative, convenient, and accurate descriptions of in situ NETs. Therefore, establishing a quantitative description of the relationship between NETs and thrombosis remains a challenge. Objective We employed morphological observations of blood cells and statistical analyses to investigate the correlation between the NETs/neutrophilic segmented granulocyte ratio and mortality risk in patients with COVID-19. Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 117 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 between November 2022 and February 2023, and various blood cell parameters were measured. Two types of smudge cells were observed in the blood and counted: lymphatic and neutral smudge cells. Statistical data analysis was used to establish COVID-19 mortality risk assessment indicators. Results Morphological observations of neutrophilic smudge cells revealed swelling, eruption, and NETs formation in the neutrophil nuclei. Subsequently, the NETs/neutrophilic segmented granulocyte ratio (NNSR) was calculated. A high concentration of NETs poses a fatal risk for thrombus formation in patients. Statistical analysis indicated that a high NNSR was more suitable for evaluating the risk of death in patients with COVID-19 compared to elevated fibrinogen (FIB) and D-dimer (DD) levels. Conclusion Observing blood cell morphology is an effective method for the detection of NETs, NNSR are important markers for revealing the mortality risk of patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- The Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yu Qin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jingyun Ma
- The Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Kehao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Guiping Xia
- The Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Ya Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Li Xie
- School of Internet of Things Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Richmond Godwin Afful
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Qian Lan
- School of Internet of Things Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xingyu Huo
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jian Zou
- The Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi People’s Hospital, Wuxi Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hailin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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Harte JV, Coleman-Vaughan C, Crowley MP, Mykytiv V. It's in the blood: a review of the hematological system in SARS-CoV-2-associated COVID-19. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2023; 60:595-624. [PMID: 37439130 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2023.2232010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to an unprecedented global healthcare crisis. While SARS-CoV-2-associated COVID-19 affects primarily the respiratory system, patients with COVID-19 frequently develop extrapulmonary manifestations. Notably, changes in the hematological system, including lymphocytopenia, neutrophilia and significant abnormalities of hemostatic markers, were observed early in the pandemic. Hematological manifestations have since been recognized as important parameters in the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 and in the management of patients with COVID-19. In this narrative review, we summarize the state-of-the-art regarding the hematological and hemostatic abnormalities observed in patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated COVID-19, as well as the current understanding of the hematological system in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic SARS-CoV-2-associated COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- James V Harte
- Department of Haematology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
- School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Maeve P Crowley
- Department of Haematology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
- Irish Network for Venous Thromboembolism Research (INViTE), Ireland
| | - Vitaliy Mykytiv
- Department of Haematology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
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Chiatamone Ranieri S, Angeletti C. Neutrophil and eosinophil extracellular traps in intensive care unit Covid patients' peripheral smears. Int J Lab Hematol 2023; 45:995-998. [PMID: 37467784 DOI: 10.1111/ijlh.14128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Chiara Angeletti
- Anestesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Emergency Department, Giuseppe Mazzini Civil Hospital, Teramo, Italy
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Egger M, Black A, Robier C. Coincidence of plasma cell leukemia and COVID-19: a diagnostic pitfall. J Hematop 2023; 16:127-128. [PMID: 38175443 PMCID: PMC10088712 DOI: 10.1007/s12308-023-00542-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the case of a 66-year-old man with a known history of IgD multiple myeloma (MM) which was admitted to hospital because of acute renal failure. Routine PCR testing on admission yielded a positive result for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Examination of the peripheral blood (PB) smear revealed 17% lymphoplasmacytoid cells and a few small plasma cells mimicking morphological changes frequently seen in viral diseases. However, flow cytometric examination showed 20% clonal lambda-restricted plasma cells being consistent with a diagnosis of secondary plasma cell leukemia. Circulating plasma cells as well as similar appearing lymphocyte subtypes such as plasmacytoid lymphocytes are frequently observed in infectious disorders such as COVID-19, so that the lymphocyte morphology in our patient's case could have been easily misinterpreted as typical COVID-19-induced changes. Our observation highlights the importance of incorporating clinical, morphological, and flow-cytometric data in distinguishing between reactive and neoplastic lymphocyte changes because misinterpretation may affect disease classification and, beyond that, clinical decision-making, which may have serious consequences for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot Egger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder Linz and Ordensklinikum Linz, Seilerstaette 4, 4020, Linz, Austria.
- Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
| | - Anne Black
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder Linz and Ordensklinikum Linz, Seilerstaette 4, 4020, Linz, Austria
- Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Christoph Robier
- Institute of Laboratory Diagnostics, Hospital of the Brothers of St. John of God, Graz, Austria
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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