Analysing urine samples of COVID-19 patients can help predict the disease's severity, according to researchers. The study, led by researchers from Wayne State University in Detroit, US, revealed elevated levels of specific biomarkers of the immune system compared to those who were not infected with the coronavirus.

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In addition, levels of these inflammatory markers were higher in patients with comorbidities such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Researchers said they undertook this study in hopes of determining whether biomarkers of COVID-19 could predict which individuals will develop "overly exuberant immune responses," also called a cytokine storm. They chose to screen the urine of COVID-19 patients because of its non-invasive nature that doesn't require the use of needles or blood samples.

Scientists said they hope the results of this study will translate to a regular screening process for COVID-19 patients to predict who is more likely to develop severe disease and to aid in a successful treatment strategy. The findings will be presented virtually at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2021.