The severity of Covid 19 in patients can be determined by examining the changes in the red blood cells, according to a new study.
In the new study, the researchers found that the changes in the red blood cells at the time of inflammation caused by aggressive immune responses associated with poor health outcomes. This could worsen in people who have diabetes, cancer and heart issues.
The study came out in JAMA network. It was the study of the size variations of red blood cells, which are called as red cell distribution width (RDW) that helped them come to this conclusion. The doctors can identify patients with an elevated level of risk by looking at the RDW.
The researchers noted that the people admitted to hospital with higher RDW values had a higher risk of dying. They had a 2.7 times higher risk, the researchers noted. They found that the people with a high RDW values also had a higher mortality rate. These people had a higher 31 per cent mortality rate compared to 11 per cent in patients having normal RDW values.
The researchers say that the doctors would be able to trace the intensity of the corona impact by looking the red cell distribution width.
