A Parameter and complication to be followed in COVID-19 patients: creatine kinase and rhabdomyolysis

This study aims to reveal the relationship between imaging findings obtained from computed tomography (CT), and CK levels in addition to other biochemical parameters in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. The study also aims to draw awareness to the fact that COVID-19 may have various organ involvements apart from the lung. Two hundred and thirty patients with CT findings indicating COVID-19, and 119 control subjects without COVID-19 diagnosis, who had CT scans for other reasons, were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into three groups as those with ground-glass opacity (GGO) on CT, those with signs of consolidation (CONS) on CT, and the control group with normal CT findings. Then, the imaging and laboratory findings of the patients were evaluated. Of the CT-positive patients, 113 were females and 117 were males. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the age variable (p=0.43). Ground-glass opacities were found on CT findings in 113 (32.3%) patients, and consolidation findings were found in 117 (33.7%) patients. Serum CK levels were 162.6 (U/L) (13-765) in the group with GGO while these levels were 162 (U/L) (6-731) in the CONS group and 94.27 (U/L) (11-400) in the normal CT group. CK levels were statistically increased in GGO and CONS groups compared to the normal CT group (p=0.000). In the initial admission of the patients with COVID-19 diagnoses, all the laboratory parameters should be evaluated carefully, and risky patients should be followed up considering complications, such as myositis and rhabdomyolysis that may affect mortality. [Med-Science 2022; 11(1.000): 98-101]