01 July 2020
HealthDay Reports: COVID-19 Blood Test Might Predict Who Will Need a Ventilator
Researchers found that blood levels of a certain cytokine are predictive of the course of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Blood Test Might Predict Who Will Need a Ventilator
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A blood test may predict which COVID-19 patients are likely to need a ventilator.
This finding could lead to a scoring system that would flag at-risk patients for closer monitoring and to personalized treatments. It may also help explain how diabetes makes outcomes worse, according to researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
The study focused on 57 COVID-19 patients who needed a ventilator to breathe. Researchers compared samples of their blood to that from patients who did not need a ventilator.