The effect of serum zinc level on the severity of the Covid-19 patients treated at Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Mengücek Gazi Training and Research hospital on the severity of Covi̇d-19 i̇nfection

Introduction and Aim: In December 2019, a new type of beta-coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, China, which caused a large number of acute pneumonia cases. This disease was defined as COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and accepted as a pandemic. The disease was divided into 4 groups according to its clinical severity and evaluated as mild, moderate, severe and critical level.Mild cases are characterized by symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and there are no radiological findings.Moderate cases have symptoms of upper and lower respiratory tract infections and pneumonia findings in radiology. Mild and moderate group cases account for 81% of all cases.Fewer cases are severe and critical-level cases.In severe cases, respiratory rate >30/min or oxygen saturation ≤93% or PaO2/FiO2 ≤300 or lung imaging more than 50% progression within 2 days.Patients with a respiratory rate > 30/min, severe respiratory symptoms, ambient air oxygen saturation (SpO2) < 90%, PaO2/FiO2 < 200 in addition to the need for high oxygen therapy (FiO2), noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) or Patients who need invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) are considered critical and are usually followed up under intensive care conditions. A balanced diet is essential for the prevention and management of viral infections. Zinc is an important trace element in the maintenance of growth, development and immune function and has a critical role in immunity. In our study, in patients with positive COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) and clinically and radiologically compatible with COVID-19 infection, serum zinc levels and laboratory (previously proven to show the progression and severity of the COVID-19 infection) We wanted to see the relationship between the findings of D-Dimer, CRP (C-reactive protein), Ferritin, fibrinogen, leukocyte count, lymphocyte count, ... etc.) and disease severity. In addition, we aimed to compare serum zinc levels in patients with asymptomatic or mild symptoms due to COVID19 infection, patients with pneumonia due to COVID-19, or patients with respiratory failure due to ARDS and cytokine release syndrome due to COVID-19 infection. Material and Method: Our prospective case-control study was conducted between 1 July 2021 and 1 July 2022 in Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Faculty of Medicine Mengücek Gazi Education and Research Hospital (EAH) Chest Diseases, Emergency 4 COVID-19 and COVID-19 Outpatient Clinics, COVID-19 related services, COVID-19 intensive care units. In their care, patients who were examined and treated and healthy individuals were included. Patients were classified as control (group 1), outpatient (group 2), inpatient (group 3) and intensive care unit treated (group 4). The patients were evaluated by looking at biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), Leukocytes, Lymphocyte, hemoglobin, C-Reactive protein, Cholesterol levels, D-Dimer, Procalcitonin, Troponin-I and serum zinc). Results: It was observed that serum zinc levels in COVID-19 patients decreased as the severity of the disease increased, but was not associated with mortality. As a result of the evaluation of biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, Leukocytes, hemoglobin, C-Reactive protein, Cholesterol levels, D-Dimer, Procalcitonin, Troponin-I and serum zinc) taken from the patients, serum lymphocyte levels, serum cholesterol levels and serum zinc levels were determined. Significant reduction was observed with increasing disease severity.In other parameters, there was an increase in serum levels with severity. Conclusion: A general idea about the prognosis of the disease can be obtained by looking at serum zinc levels in patients with COVID-19.Mortality increases in patients with severe COVID-19.Necessary measures can be taken in the early period to prevent the aggravation of the disease, and the missing elements, especially zinc, can be supplemented and contribute to the mild relief of the disease.However, larger studies are needed to evaluate whether serum zinc levels determine mortality