Association between C-Reactive Protein Test Result and Clinical Characteristics in Patients with COVID-19

Background and objectives: in coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19), elevated serum levels of c-reactive protein (crp), a marker of systemic inflammation, are commonly observed. we aimed to investigate the associations between crp test results and clinical characteristics in patients with covid-19. method: in this cross-sectional study, data from 399 patients with covid-19 were collected through a census method. the patients were divided into a crp-positive group (n=335) and a crp-negative group (n=64). demographical data, laboratory findings, clinical characteristics, and history of some underlying diseases were compared between the two groups. all analyses were carried out in spss (version 21). results: the frequency of hypertension was 40.1% among the study population, 42.4 % among crp-positive patients, and 28.1% among crp-negative patients. diabetes and heart disease were the most common comorbidities among the patients. dyspnea (60.4%), fever (52.7%), fatigue (45.4%), and dry cough (40.1%) were the most commonly observed symptoms. the mean duration of hospitalization was 8.14±6.18 days, and the mean duration of intensive care unit stay was 9.09±9.41 days. moreover, crp positivity was significantly associated with hypertension, immunosuppressive therapy, and higher duration of hospitalization (p<0.05). conclusion: pre-existing hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease with the coincidence of some clinical symptoms are associated with higher levels of crp in covid-19 patients, which results in longer hospitalization.