Prognostic Value of Serum Salusin-α and Salusin-β in COVID-19 Patients.

BackgroundVascular inflammation has an important role in the development and progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Also, a high cytokine level predicts a poor prognosis for COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of salusin-α and salusin-β peptides in determining the severity of the disease in the acute period of COVID-19.MethodThe investigation involved studying a group of 74 hospitalized individuals who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. The patients were divided into two groups: those who did not reach the primary endpoint and were discharged without complications and those who reached the primary endpoint (a composite of ICU admission and/or mortality). Salusin-α and salusin-β levels of serum samples taken at the time of application were statistically compared.OutcomeThere was no statistically significant difference in salusin-α levels between the groups (p=0.279). However, salusin-β levels were found to be significantly higher in patients who reached the primary endpoint compared to those who did not reach the primary endpoint and the healthy control group.ConclusionThe results of the analysis showed that a salusin-β level of 12.45 ng/mL predicts the risk of complications such as intensive care unit admission or mortality, with a sensitivity of 83.8% and a specificity of 40.5% for the estimation of the primary endpoint. The obtained data support our hypothesis, but observational studies with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate salusins' determination of COVID-19 prognosis.