Associations of C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index with severity and prognosis in COVID-19 patients

OBJECTIVES: The C-reactive protein (CRP)-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index is associated with the status of inflammation, immunity, and nutrition in inflammatory diseases. The present research intends to investigate the relationships of the CALLY index with disease severity and clinical prognosis among patients with COVID-19. METHODS: The present study included 1049 COVID-19 subjects from two medical centers. Clinical information was gathered, and the CALLY index was calculated. Associations of CALLY index with severity and prognosis were analyzed among COVID-19 cases. RESULTS: As disease severity scores increased, CALLY index levels on admission gradually decreased. Spearman correlation analyses showed that the CALLY index was closely correlated with many clinical parameters. Linear and logistic regression analyses disclosed that the CALLY index was inversely related to disease severity scores. Simultaneously, the lower CALLY index on admission elevated the risks of mechanical ventilation, vasoactive agent, intensive care unit admission, and death in patients with COVID-19 during hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis further validated that the CALLY index was inversely linked to poor clinical outcomes. Moreover, the severity scores and the CALLY index on admission have a similar predictive capacity for poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The CALLY index displays a negative relationship with disease severity and poor prognosis, indicating that it can serve as a disease severity indicator and a prognostic tool for patients with COVID-19.