evaluatıon of the development of neurologıcal damage ın severe covıd-19 pneumonıa wıth serum ck-bb levels

INTRODUCTION: Despite numerous reports of various neurological symptoms seen in COVID-19 disease, the role of SARS-CoV-2 in the neuropathogenesis and tropism of the central nervous system (CNS) has yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the development of CNS damage related to the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia with creatine kinase BB (CK-BB) serum levels.
METHODS: The study included 55 patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, 79 in the inpatient service diagnosed with milder COVID-19 pneumonia, and 39 healthy volunteers. CK-BB levels were measured using a quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique with an ELISA kit (USCN, USCN, Wuhan, China; catalog no: SEC030Hu; lot no: L210602384). Detection of SARS-CoV-2 was made by RT-PCR test from the respiratory tract (nasopharyngeal swab) according to current guidelines.
RESULTS: While markers that were shown to predict disease severity were higher in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia compared to patients with milder pneumonia and the control group, serum levels of the neurological damage marker CK-BB were found to be similar between the groups (respectively 6.84 [5.05-16.2], 7.48 [4.7-22.5], 6.7 [3.8-16.2], p>0.005). In addition, there was no difference in serum CK-BB levels between patients who developed neurological symptoms and those who did not (respectively 6.78 [5.07-17.21], 7.43 [4.7-22.5], p>0.005).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In COVID-19 pneumonia, serum CK-BB levels do not increase with the severity of the disease and the development of neurological symptoms.