This work reports that COVID-19-induced oxidative stress inflicts structural damages to human serum albumin (HSA) and is linked with mortality outcome in critically ill patients. Analyzing blood samples from patients and healthy individuals, the paper provides evidence that neutrophils are major sources of oxidative stress in blood and that hydrogen peroxide is highly accumulated in plasmas of non-survivors. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of spin-labeled fatty acids (SLFAs) bound with HSA in whole blood of control, survivor, and non-survivor subjects (n=10–11) were analyzed to probe structural damages to the protein. Non-survivors’ HSA showed dramatically altered biophysical parameters that reflect remarkably fluid protein microenvironments. Following loading/unloading of 16-DSA, the results show that the transport function of HSA may be impaired in severe patients. Stratified at the means, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis indicated that lower values of S/W ratio and accumulated H₂O₂ in plasma significantly predicted in-hospital mortality.

All patients were recruited from Kasr Alainy Cairo University Hospital/ICU-facility at the Internal Medicine Quarantine Hospital. Supportive therapy, including supplemental oxygen and symptomatic treatment, was administered as required. Patients with moderate to severe hypoxia (defined as requiring fraction of inspired oxygen [FiO2]≥40%) were transferred to intensive care for further management including invasive mechanical ventilation when necessary. Patients recruited in the current study were divided into two arms based on future mortality outcome: those who survived the past 15 days following blood samples collection (Sev-R) and those who died within 15 days of samples collection (Sev-D). Details of samples collection and handlings are described in details in the published manuscript.

The dataset includes source data for all experimental results. A few missing values are to be found in the excel sheets. Missing data due to insufficient sample size (blood volume received) or processing errors.

The readme file contains an explanation of each of the variables in the dataset, its measurement units, and the way it was calculated from the primary data. N/A = values not available. Information on how the measurements were done can be found in the associated manuscript referenced above.