New blood test predicts which COVID-19 patients will develop severe infection
Scientists have developed, for the first time, a score that can accurately predict which patients will develop a severe form of Covid-19.
The study, led by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is published in The Lancet's translational research journal EBioMedicine.
The measurement, called the Dublin-Boston score, is designed to enable clinicians to make more informed decisions when identifying patients who may benefit from therapies, such as steroids, and admission to intensive care units.
Until this study, no Covid-19-specific prognostic scores were available to guide clinical decision-making. The Dublin-Boston score can now accurately predict how severe the infection will be on day seven after measuring the patient's blood for the first four days.
The blood test works by measuring the levels of two molecules that send messages to the body's immune system and control inflammation. One of these molecules, interleukin (IL)-6, is pro-inflammatory, and a different one, called IL-10, is anti-inflammatory. The levels of both are altered in severe Covid-19 patients.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(20)30402-3/fulltext
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