Comparison of immunological, biochemical, hematological and molecular parameters according to age and gender in Covid 19 patients

The coronavirus-19 viral infection has rapidly spread geographically and has become a global pandemic, as declared by the World Health Organization in the first months of 2020. Respiratory infections caused by coronavirus disease 2 (SARS-CoV-2), commonly known as COVID-19, can lead to severe acute respiratory symptoms. The current study aims to detect the COVID-19 virus in patients with respiratory infections in Dhi Qar Province, southern Iraq. The study involved 100 samples collected from patients with COVID-19, of which 58 were male and 42 female; their ages ranged from 14 to 79 years. The samples were collected from the period December 2021 to June 2022 at Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital. The parameters were analyzed using the ELISA technique for IL-6 and TNF; a full automated coulter was used for a complete blood count; and other parameters were analyzed using Cobas. Also, the molecular study involved two genes, S and N, and analysis by both real-time PCR and conventional PCR and sequencing analysis was used for positive samples. In complete blood count, the results of the current study recorded a significant increase in the count of WBC (p<0.001), percent of monocytes (p<0.001), percent of lymphocytes (p<0.001), neutrophils (p<0.001), and count of PLT (p<0.001) compared with the control group. The count of RBC did not show a significant difference (p =0.819), level of Hb (p=0.118), and percentage of HCT (p=0.786) when compared with the control group. Regarding immunological parameters, the current study showed a significant increase in the concentration of all involved immunological parameters CRP, IgM, IgG, IL-6 and TNF (p<0.001) compared with the control group. In terms of biochemical parameters, ii the study revealed a significant increase in the concentration of ferritin (p<0.001) and D-dimer (P<0.001) in COVID-19 patients compared to the control group, while the concentration of vitamin D3 decreased significantly (p<0.001). The study also showed a non-significant difference in the concentration of biochemical and hematological parameters according to gender. However, in immunological parameters, the concentration of IgM increased significantly (p=0.011) in the female group compared to the male group, while TNF increased significantly in the male group compared to the female group (p<0.001). According to age groups, the study noted a non-significant difference in all involved parameters. In a molecular study, the present study noted the ORF1ab gene and N gene of COVID-19 increased significantly in male patients than female patients (p= 0.048 and 0.012, respectively), whereas both genes did not score a significant difference according to age groups (p=0.727 and 0.592, respectively).