LAUSR

Background:Most people with coronavirus infectious disease (covid-19) have mild to moderate symptoms and recover after appropriate medical interventions. However 15-32% develop severe or critical COVID-19 with case fatality rate of 1-15%.Treatment in intensive care unit has become a major challenge, early recognition of severe forms is absolutely essential for timely triaging of patients. Hyper inflammation is one of the character associated with disease progression of COVID-19 but the association between C - reactive protein (CRP) and COVID-19 is not clear. So this study aimed to evaluate the association between CRP & severity of COVID-19 confirmed cases. Methods:Clinically confirmed 100 COVID-19 cases referred to Covid Care Center, SSMC, Tumkur were included in the study. CRP was done by Fluorescence Immunoassay by Finecare as per manufacturer’s instructions soon after admission to covid care center. Results:Out of 100 confirmed covid-19 cases 65% were males and 35% were females, predominantly in the age group of 60-80years. CRP was >100mg/dl in 21 patients among this group there was male preponderance(15) with>60 years of age, who were severly ill and were in need of ICU admission, remaining 79 cases showed CRP levels of <100mg/dl were isolated in covid care center. Conclusions:Patients with severe COVID-19 have a higher level of CRP than those with a non-severe disease. Higher lev- els of CRP (>100mg/dl) at presentation might indicate impending clinical deterioration and the need for invasive me- chanical ventilation