PURPOSE: To compare serum level of Procalcitonin in two groups of moderate COVID-19 patients based on chest CT scan
findings: (the first group: ground-glass alone,the second groupo: combination of ground-glass and consolidation).
METHODS: A total of 82 patients with moderate severity of COVID-19 (not critically ill and peripheral oxygen saturation
between than 85% and 90% at room air at the time of admission), whose disease had been confirmed by the PCR test, were
selected. Based on the chest CT scan finding, the patients were divided into two matched groups with moderate COVID-19
severity (n¼41). In the first group, ground-glass opacities alone and the second group, a combination of consolidation and
ground-glass opacities were considered. At the time of admission of the patients, 5 cc blood was drawn from a peripheral vein and
poured into a tube to be sent to the biochemistry laboratory, and the procalcitonin level was quantitatively measured using human
procalcitonin ELISA kits.
RESULTS: The mean serum level of procalcitonin in the first group was measured 0.66  0.14 (ng/ml) and in the second group
was measured 0.4  0.12 (ng/ml) (p-value ¼ 0.25) .
CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference of serum procalctionin level in moderate severity COVID-19 patients with
combination of consolidation and ground glass opacities on chest CT scan compared to moderate COVID-19 patients with
ground glass only opacities on chest CT scan.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Consolidation opacities added to ground glass opacities have no relationship to serum
procalcitonin level in moderate COVID-19 patients at the time of admissio