COVID-19 Health Check: Other Test to Check Health Condition

Vikrant (name changed), a 42-year-old working professional, got tested positive for COVID-19 a few days back. He had a very mild illness, with symptoms such as mild sore throat, headache, and moderate fever that would come down with medicine. He was quite at an ease with the virus until the last two days when he developed a high fever, severe throat, and even difficulty in breathing. He called his doctor and visited the clinic in person as advised. Thankfully, after being under continuous observation for 3 days, he has come back home and got along with the quarantine time again.

“But, isn’t COVID-19 only causing a mild illness in almost 80% of people,” enquired Vikrant to his doctor, “I thought a severe COVID-19 illness is only for elderly people,” he further added.          

There are many people like Vikrant who are unintentionally ignoring the unpredictable nature of coronavirus infection. If you or a loved one has tested positive for COVID-19, it is important for you to understand that not all people experience the symptoms in the same way. In fact, the duration and severity of the infection might vary from person to person. So, while it is common for most people to have mild COVID-19 illness, you must monitor your health status closely and be vigilant of any worsening of the symptoms.

COVID Monitoring Profile for COVID-19 positive people

There are a few tests that help track your health condition, check that the infection might not turn into a severe infection, keep an eye on if you need to see a doctor immediately. We at Metropolis have curated an exclusive monitoring package that helps you avoid the hassle of booking different tests and get all the required tests done at one time.

Your doctor might advise you to take these tests during the first few days of the illness, in between the illness if you experience any worsening of the symptoms, and even after recovery to keep a continuous watch on your health. COVID monitoring tests are required whether you are admitted to hospital or under home care.

Major tests included in the package and their clinical importance

• Ferritin and Prothrombin time:The increased numbers of both these tests point towards an issue in blood coagulation, an abnormality that is significant in view of severe COVID-19infection.
• IL-6 and CRP (C-reactive protein): Elevated IL-6 and CRP levels indicate severe inflammation in the body.
• SGPT, LDH, Creatinine, Albumin, Troponin, etc.: These parameters check for tissue damage for vital body organs including liver, kidney, and heart.

Apart from these specific tests, the Complete blood count (CBC) test is also included to give a complete picture of your blood and check if there is any significant rise or fall in the critical blood-related numbers.

As per the experts and Research

• Reduced white blood cell count (lymphopenia), increase in neutrophils (neutrophilia), elevated levels of liver enzymes ALT and AST, elevated LDH, CRP, and ferritin levels have been associated with greater disease severity and hospitalization in COVID-19 patients
• In a meta-analysis including nine studies, IL-6 levels were more than three times higher in people with complicated COVID-19 compared with those with the non-complicated disease. Also, the increased IL-6 levels were associated with mortality risk.
• A raised serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level had been observed in most people with COVID-19. In fact, people presenting with severe pneumonia had high CRP levels. As per studies, CRP levels can be used in the early diagnosis of pneumonia.
• Elevated ALT, AST, and creatinine seen in severe cases suggests that COVID-19 carries an increased risk of impaired liver and kidney function
• As compared to non-ICU people, lymphopenia (reduced levels of white blood cells) was more common in ICU patients.
• C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), high-sensitivity troponin (hs-Tn), N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and D-dimer helps improve the prognosis in patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19.

The Takeaway

The COVID monitoring profile checks the levels of biological biomarkers in your body that assess the severity of the COVID-19 infection. A continuous check on these numbers helps your doctor devise the best treatment plan for you and see whether you need in-hospital care or can be managed at home. Health tracking helps improve prognosis and minimize the mortality risk in people with severe disease. So, make sure to get your health parameters measured as your immune system fights off the virus.