Objective: Diagnosis of COVID-19, the cause of the pandemic, relies on clinical, laboratory and radiological methods. In our study, the relationship between real-time PCR (RT-PCR) threshold cycle (Ct) value and hemogram sub-parameters was investigated in patients hospitalized in ward or intensive care unit with the diagnosis of COVID-19.

Methods: In our study, 98 cases hospitalized in the COVID-19 unit between November 2020 and January 2021 were investigated. According to the location, the cases were hospitalized either in the intensive care or in the ward. Age, gender, RT-PCR Ct values and hematological parameters of the patients were evaluated.

Results: Of the investigated cases, 45 were female and 53 were male. The mean age was 61.8 in the ward and 75.5 in the intensive care unit (p=0.02). No difference was observed between intensive care and ward patients for their RT-PCR Ct values (p=0.068). No difference was also found between leukocyte, neutrophil, thrombocyte, plateletcrit and platelet/lymphocyte ratio values (p>0.05) between the groups. However, lymphocyte, eosinophil, erythrocyte, hemoglobin values were decreased in intensive care patients compared to ward patients. On the other hand, erythrocyte distribution width-coefficient of variation, erythrocyte distribution width-standard deviation, platelet, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio value were increased.

Conclusion: It was concluded that RT-PCR Ct values were not significant in terms of hospitalization in the ward or intensive care unit, but the follow-up of hematological parameters was important.