Clinical Characteristics Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients Research Articles

Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients at Bali Mandara hospital

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that has spread in various parts of the world, including Bali, Indonesia. This study aims to identify the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients at Bali Mandara hospital. Methods: This research is a descriptive observational study with a cross-sectional approach. This research uses secondary data from medical records at Bali Mandara hospital. The sample in this study was all COVID-19 patients treated at Bali Mandara hospital in the period January 2022-August 2023. Results: There were 59 patients in this study. Most were female (n=37;62.70%) and aged >61 years (n=29; 49.20%) with a median age of 60 years. The median white blood cells and neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR) in patients were 7.20×103/uL and 4.40, respectively. The type of comorbidity most frequently found in patients was hypertension (n=23; 39.00%), followed by kidney disease (n=17; 28.80%) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=11;18.60%). Most patients had a hospital stay of >6 days (n=40; ​​67.80%) with a median of 6 days. The prevalence of death in patients was 15.30%. A total of 15 patients suffered from severe COVID-19. Conclusions: Most of the patients were female and aged >61 years. The most common comorbidity found in patients is hypertension. Most patients had a hospital stay of >6 days.

Gene Regulatory Network Analysis of Post-Mortem Lungs Unveils Novel Insights into COVID-19 Pathogenesis.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged as one of the most significant global health crises in recent history. The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients have revealed the possibility of immune activity changes contributing to disease severity. Nevertheless, limited information is available regarding the immune response in human lung tissue, which is the primary site of infection. In this study, we conducted an extensive analysis of lung tissue to screen for differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in five individuals who died due to COVID-19 and underwent a rapid autopsy, as well as seven control individuals who died of other causes unrelated to COVID-19. To analyze the host response gene expression, miRNA microarray and Nanostring's nCounter XT gene expression assay were performed. Our study identified 37 downregulated and 77 upregulated miRNAs in COVID-19 lung biopsy samples compared to the controls. A total of 653 mRNA transcripts were differentially expressed between the two sample types, with most transcripts (472) being downregulated in COVID-19-positive specimens. Hierarchical and PCA K-means clustering analysis showed distinct clustering between COVID-19 and control samples. Enrichment and network analyses revealed differentially expressed genes important for innate immunity and inflammatory response in COVID-19 lung biopsies. The interferon-signaling pathway was highly upregulated in COVID-19 specimens while genes involved in interleukin-17 signaling were downregulated. These findings shed light on the mechanisms of host cellular responses to COVID-19 infection in lung tissues and could help identify new targets for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection.

Comparative Study on Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with or without Digestive Symptoms in Razi Hospital, Ahvaz, Khuzestan.

Most commonly reported clinical manifestations are fever, fatigue and dry cough. Interestingly, a small percentage of patients experience GI symptoms, with the most common being anorexia, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. We aimed to conduct a comparative study on COVID-19 patients with or without gastrointestinal patients (GI). The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a dire health problem, causing a massive crisis for global health. Collective data of clinical manifestations and laboratory reports of patients admitted to Razi Hospital, Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Iran, for two weeks were analyzed. Our results showed that GI symptoms are not statistically significant criteria to be predictive or prognostic factors in COVID-19 patients, although they are probably related to the acute or non-acute phase of the disease. Moreover, non-specific GI symptoms seem to result from cytokine storm that occurred during the disease. Therefore, our results did not support GI tract involvement as a common route of COVID- 19 infection. Maybe future research will shed light on why and how the gastrointestinal system becomes infected by COVID-19.

Clinical Characteristic of Different SARS-CoV-2 Variants in South Kalimantan, Indonesia: A Case Study

Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has undergone various mutations of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) as variants of concern (VOC). Since clinical features and epidemiological characteristics of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variants remain largely unknown, especially in Indonesia, this study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients from South Kalimantan, Indonesia.Methods: Data from medical records of COVID-19 patients at Ulin General Hospital Banjarmasin from June 2021 to February 2022 were randomly extracted, containing demographic data, comorbidities, and laboratory data, as well as the type of virus. Results: In total, 32 patients were included, 9 were infected with delta, 14 with probable omicrons, and 9 with non-VOC. Patients in the probable Omicron group were significantly older than other groups (median age 64 years old, range 54–73 years; p=0.049), had hypertension as the dominant comorbidity (85.7%; p=0.039), the onset appeared slightly earlier (median 3 days; range 2-3 days, p=0.062), with no anosmia symptom (p=0.006). Critical illness predominated and mostly survived in all variants but was not statistically significant (p=0.590 and 0.726, respectively). The three variants showed similarities in laboratory findings; hence, statistical analysis suggested that the leucocytes differed significantly (p=0.020).Conclusions: Patients with the likely Omicron variant are much older, have hypertension as their main comorbidity, do not have any symptoms of anosmia, and have higher leukocyte counts compared to other variants.

Critical Degree of COVID-19 Pneumonia in A Man with HIV

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), appeared in the city of Wuhan, China. SARS-CoV-2 causes the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has resulted in the most devastating pandemic in modern world history. Epidemiological data show that COVID-19 infection with a poor prognosis occurs in the general population with chronic systemic immune deficiency and inflammatory conditions in patients. People with HIV/AIDS (ODHA) have a higher risk of being infected with COVID-19. Research related to COVID-19 infection in HIV/AIDS patients still yields different results in terms of susceptibility to infection, clinical characteristics, severity of symptoms, and prognosis. It is aimed that this case will provide an up-to-date picture of the incidence of COVID-19 in HIV cases The method used in this study is qualitative and a case study of shortness of breath patients. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients and age range 26-82 years. In hospitalized patients, the appropriate treatment strategy depends on the severity of the disease. Treatment for COVID-19 patients with HIV co-infection is the same as for COVID-19 without HIV infection. Immunosuppression in COVID-19 can delay viral clearance and prolong the course of the disease. Monitoring viral load and CD4 count are variables that influence the severity of symptoms. Critical degree Covid 19 patients with HIV have a poor prognosis, but with adequate management the patient experiences clinical improvement and can go home for independent isolation.

Effect of Hypertension Comorbidity on Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients Infected by the Wild-Type, the Delta or Omicron Variant SARS-CoV-2.

Hypertension was the most common comorbidity in patients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aim to study the effect of comorbid hypertension on the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with the underlying mechanism. We retrospectively analyzed 459, 336 and 659 COVID-19 patients who were infected by the wild-type, the delta and omicron variant, respectively, including their demographic information, medical history, immunization record (if available), and laboratory parameters, to investigate the clinical differences between COVID-19 patients with and without hypertension. In this study 26.1%, 26.8%, and 12.9% of COVID-19 patients had pre-existing hypertension in the cohort of wild-type, delta, and omicron variant, respectively. Compared to non-hypertensive peers, hypertension patients demonstrated older age, higher occurrence of other major comorbidities, and poorer blood or coagulation parameters, showing worse prognosis. In case of the delta or omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, hypertension patients produced robust antibody responses, although indistinguishable whether it was due to vaccination or natural infection and resembled those of non-hypertensive peers in blood cell and coagulation profiles with still varying viremic damages to major organs. Resultantly, COVID-19 infection promoted pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic states in hypertension patients, whereas vaccinated individuals would exhibit favorable prognoses.

Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients who underwent tracheostomy and its effect on outcome: A retrospective observational study.

The exponential rise in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases has resulted in an increased number of patients requiring prolonged ventilatory support and subsequent tracheostomy. With the limited availability of literature regarding the outcomes of COVID-19 patients with tracheostomy, we attempted to study the clinical characteristics and multiple parameters affecting the outcomes in these patients. To determine all-cause mortality following tracheostomy and its association with various risk factors in COVID-19 patients. This retrospective study included 73 adult COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU between 1 April, 2020 and 30 September, 2021 who underwent tracheostomy as a result of acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19. The data collected included demographics (age, sex), comorbidities, type of oxygen support at admission, severity of COVID-19, complications, and other parameters such as admission to tracheostomy, intubation to tracheostomy, ICU stay, hospital stay, and outcome. This study included 73 adult patients with an average age of 52 ± 16.67 years, of which 52% were men. The average time for admission to tracheostomy was 18.12 ± 12.98 days while intubation to tracheostomy was 11.97 ± 9 days. The mortality rate was 71.2% and 28.8% of patients were discharged alive. The mean duration of ICU and hospital stay was 25 ± 11 days and 28.21 ± 11.60 days, respectively. Greater age, severe COVID-19, mechanical ventilation, shock and acute kidney injury were associated with poor prognosis; however, early tracheostomy in intubated patients resulted in better outcomes. Patients with severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation have a poor prognosis but patients with early tracheostomy may benefit with no added risk. We recommend that the timing of tracheostomy be decided on a case-by-case basis and a well-designed randomised controlled trial should be performed to elucidate the potential benefit of early tracheostomy in such patients.

Association between Thrombin Generation and Clinical Characteristics in COVID-19 Patients

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease is associated with coagulopathy and an increased risk of thrombosis. An association between thrombin generation (TG) capacity, disease severity, and outcomes has not been well described. Methods: We assessed the correlation of TG with sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) and sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) scores and clinical outcomes by analysis of plasma samples obtained from hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Results: 32 patients (68.8% male), whose median age was 69 years, were assessed, of whom only 3 patients did not receive anticoagulant therapy. D-dimers were uniformly increased. During hospitalization, 2 patients suffered thrombosis, 3 experienced bleeding, and 12 died. TG parameters from anticoagulated COVID-19 patients did not significantly differ from the values obtained from non-anticoagulated healthy controls. Patients who received higher than prophylactic doses of anticoagulant therapy had increased lag time (p = 0.003), lower endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) (p = 0.037), and a reduced peak height (p = 0.006). ETP correlated with the SIC score (p = 0.038). None of the TG parameters correlated with the SOFA score or were associated with mortality. Conclusion: TG was not associated with disease severity among patients hospitalized with COVID-19. However, a correlation between ETP and the SIC score was noted and deserves attention.

Clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Field Hospital of Bangkalan, Indonesia.

Background: Following the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the epicenter of East Java Province, this study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 at one of the emergency field hospitals in Indonesia. Methods: This was a single-centered, retrospective descriptive study of 763 patients admitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Field Hospital of Bangkalan from July 5 2021 to September 30 2021. The demographic data, clinical signs and symptoms, pre-existing comorbidities, therapy, and clinical outcomes of the patients were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 at the emergency hospital were varied. A total of 763 patients were included. The most common age was between 40 and 49 years (31.1%), a slight majority were women (51.5%), and most had travelled abroad in the last 14 days (99.1%). Of the 763 patients, 70.9% had no comorbidities. Half of the patients were asymptomatic (49.4%), 46% were mild cases, 4.1% were moderate, and 0.5% severe. The most common symptoms were productive cough (15.7%) and headache (15.3%). Supportive and comorbidity therapy were given which showed excellent clinical outcomes. Conclusions:This study presents the description of the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients during high surge cases of COVID-19 that are mostly dominated by Indonesian migrant workers in a field hospital. majority of COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic and therapy without antibiotics or antivirals showed positive outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Comparison of clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes among COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care center during second wave pandemic in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a challenging pandemic globally. The clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory failure. In-hospital mortality varies from 18.9% to 20.3%. Old age, male gender, co-morbidities, lower oxygen saturation, lymphopenia, raised C-reactive protein, and d-dimer levels increase the risk of critical illness and death. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients and associated outcomes in a tertiary level hospital in Nepal. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted in a tertiary center of Nepal during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic. A non-probabilistic consecutive sampling technique was adopted. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM-SPSS), version-23. Mortality (yes/no) was the primary outcome of interest, and accordingly, the cases were divided into two groups, survivors and non-survivors. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: The overall in-hospital mortality was 84 (19.58%), and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) mortality was 36 (58.06%). The death rate was higher in cases presenting with shortness of breath and anorexia. Hypoxemic respiratory failure (16.08%) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (8.62%) were the most common complications associated with higher mortality. Patients with older age had higher odds of mortality (adjusted OR, 1.077; p<0.001). The risk of mortality was higher in severe to critically ill patients (adjusted OR, 5.861; p=0.001), and those who were under mechanical ventilation (adjusted OR, 39.059; p<0.001). Likewise, the duration of hospital stay was significantly associated with mortality (adjusted OR, 0.795; p<0.001). Conclusions: The non-survivors of COVID-19 tended to be of older age, severe to critically ill at presentation, require mechanical ventilation, and have a shorter duration of hospital stay, compared to survivors. So, these groups of patients need special care and support during hospital admission.

Hospital-acquired infections in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: First report from Taiwan.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inpatients may acquire infections from other pathogens during hospital admission. This is the first research on this subject to be reported from Taiwan. Confirmed COVID-19 inpatients were enrolled in this study from January 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021. Various types of pathogens in COVID-19 inpatients, with hospital-acquired infections, were identified and analyzed. The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with and without hospital-acquired infections were reviewed and compared. Of the 204 patients included in the study, 32 (15.7%) patients experienced at least one infectious episode. Of 113 recorded episodes of infection, the predominant type was bacterial (88 of 113 infections, 77.9%); the most frequently isolated bacteria were Acinetobacter spp., followed by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia . With regard to viral infections (19 of 113, 16.8%), the Epstein-Barr virus ranked first place among the identified viruses. Four (3.5%) and 2 (1.8%) of 113 infectious episodes were caused by fungi and atypical pathogens. A multivariate analysis revealed that steroid use was an independent factor in hospital-acquired infections (odds ratio [OR], 6.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-42.43; p = 0.035). Patients with hospital-acquired infections were associated with increased 28-day and in-hospital mortality (18.8% vs 5.8% and 31.3% and 5.8%; p = 0.023 and <0.01, respectively), and a longer hospital stay (34 vs 19 days; p < 0.001), compared to those without hospital-acquired infections. Our study revealed the unique local epidemiology of hospital-acquired infections among COVID-19 inpatients in Taiwan. These patients were associated with increased mortality and prolonged hospital admissions.

Clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Field Hospital of Bangkalan, Indonesia

Background: Following the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the epicenter of East Java Province, this study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 at one of the emergency field hospitals in Indonesia. Methods: This was a single-centered, retrospective descriptive study of 763 patients admitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Field Hospital of Bangkalan from July 5 2021 to September 30 2021. The demographic data, clinical signs and symptoms, pre-existing comorbidities, therapy, and clinical outcomes of the patients were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 at the emergency hospital were varied. A total of 763 patients were included. The most common age was between 40 and 49 years (31.1%), a slight majority were women (51.5%), and most had travelled abroad in the last 14 days (99.1%). Of the 763 patients, 70.9% had no comorbidities. Half of the patients were asymptomatic (49.4%), 46% were mild cases, 4.1% were moderate, and 0.5% severe. The most common symptoms were productive cough (15.7%) and headache (15.3%). Supportive and comorbidity therapy were given which showed excellent clinical outcomes. Conclusions: This study presents the description of the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients during high surge cases of COVID-19 that are mostly dominated by Indonesian migrant workers in a field hospital. majority of COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic and therapy without antibiotics or antivirals showed positive outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Clinical features and prognosis of COVID-19 patients with metabolic syndrome: A multicenter, retrospective study

BackgroundFew studies have investigated the impacts of metabolic syndrome (MS) on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We described the clinical features and prognosis of confirmed COVID-19 patients with MS during hospitalization and after discharge. MethodsTwo hundred and thirty-three COVID-19 patients from the hospitals in 8 cities of Jiangsu, China were retrospectively included. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients were described and risk factors of severe illness were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. ResultsForty-five (19.3%) of 233 COVID-19 patients had MS. The median age of COVID-19 patients with MS was significantly higher than non-MS patients (53.0 years vs. 46.0 years, P=0.004). There were no significant differences of clinical symptoms, abnormal chest CT images, and treatment drugs between two groups. More patients with MS had severe illness (33.3% vs. 6.4%, P<0.001) and critical illness (4.4% vs. 0.5%, P=0.037) than non-MS patients. The proportions of respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome in MS patients were also higher than non-MS patients during hospitalization. Multivariate analysis showed that concurrent MS (odds ratio [OR] 7.668, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.062–19.201, P<0.001) and lymphopenia (OR 3.315, 95% CI 1.306–8.411, P=0.012) were independent risk factors of severe illness of COVID-19. At a median follow-up of 28 days after discharge, bilateral pneumonia was found in 95.2% of MS patients, while only 54.7% of non-MS patients presented bilateral pneumonia. Conclusions19.3% of COVID-19 patients had MS in our study. COVID-19 patients with MS are more likely to develop severe complications and have worse prognosis. More attention should be paid to COVID-19 patients with MS.

Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Khulna city

Background &amp; objective: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a large threat to global health due to its high contagious nature and varied mortality. The number of infected cases and deaths are rising exponentially all over the world, including Bangladesh. This study aims to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of COVID-19 patients admitted in Gazi Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Khulna, Bangladesh. Methods: In this study, we included 110 RT-PCR positive COVID-19 cases at GMCH, Khulna, Bangladesh from 1 July, 2021 to 31 August, 2021. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological data of the patients were recorded and analyzed. Results: Among 110 study subjects, 51.8% were male. The mean age was 52.6 years, with majority (43.6%) belonging to the age group of 40-59 years. Upon admission, the most frequent symptoms were fever (94.5%), cough (86.4%) and dyspnea (79.1%). Diabetes mellitus (42.7%) and hypertension (33.6%) were the most common comorbidities. Regarding laboratory parameters, neutrophilia and lymphocytopenia were observed in 72.7% and 58.2% cases, respectively. The mean D-dimer (2.9 mg/l) and CRP (61.7 mg/l) levels were above their normal limits. In high resolution CT scan of the chest (HRCT chest), bilateral lung involvement was present in 85.5% cases. Ground-glass appearance was the most frequent (89.1%) radiologic pattern. Among the study subjects, empirical antibiotic, antiviral (remdesivir) drug, and systemic glucocorticoid were given to 97.3%, 83.6% and 56.4% patients, respectively. Total 15 (13.6%) patients were severely affected with COVID-19 and admitted to the ICU, requiring mechanical ventilation. During our study, 12 patients (10.9%) died either due to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome or cardio-respiratory failure. Conclusion: The study provides key information about clinical characteristics and general management of COVID-19 patients, which may help physicians to identify the factors associated with adverse outcomes in this disease. Mediscope 2022;9(1): 9-15

Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients' Postvaccination.

To investigate the clinical characteristic of domestic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients after vaccination campaign conducted in China. According to vaccination status and months from first vaccine dose to infection detection, patients were divided into unvaccinated, <3 months, 3–6 months, and >6 months groups. The information of demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory and thoracic computed tomography (CT) findings, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid and IgM, IgG antibodies was retrospectively collected. Therapeutic approaches, temperature-normalizing and viral shedding times, outcomes were also summarized. SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels were further analyzed based on the other following variables: time from second vaccine dose to infection, vaccine dose, the interval from the first to the second dose, and vaccine brand. Among 208 COVID-19 patients, 13 (6.28%) were unvaccinated. No significant differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory and CT findings, and SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid loads were detected between groups (all p > 0.05). In comparison with the unvaccinated group, the median SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were noticeably increased in those vaccinated groups (0.603 in unvaccinated, 15.925 in <3 months, 14.04 in 3–6 months, and 4.94 in >6 months, respectively, p < 0.05). However, SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were not altered between groups divided based on the other variables. Vaccination does not affect the clinical characteristics in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients with vaccination have high SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels. Underscore the necessity of rapid implementation of vaccination campaigns can be speculated.

Update on COVID-19 in 2021

The novel coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has developed into a pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is highly contagious, and is associated with high mortality. Some SARS-CoV-2 mutants are reported to be highly transmissible and pathogenic, and even have the potential to escape immune response. Distinct immune signatures exist between symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients vary by age group. Currently, there are no proven effective therapeutics for COVID-19 and therefore controlling the spread of COVID-19 relies on the inoculation of vaccines, such as nucleic vaccines, inactivated vaccines, viral vector vaccines and protein vaccines. Here we summarized the progresses on the variants, clinical characteristics, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.

Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted at the federal medical center, abeokuta

Background: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to ravage the world as a pandemic, there is a paucity of data in resource poor countries like ours on the clinical characteristics of these patients. Aim: The aim of our study was to find the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted in our facility between May and July 2020. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out on COVID-19 patients admitted during the study period. Their baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory details were obtained from their clinical notes, recorded electronically, and analyzed. Results: Twenty-six COVID-19 patients were admitted during this period, with a mean age of 47.19 (standard deviation 16.56) years, and more males 16 (61.5%). Fever was the most common complaint 17 (65.4%), followed by breathlessness 15 (57.7%), weakness 11 (42.3%), and cough 9 (34.6%). Hypoxemia (SPO2 <93%) was present in 10 (38.5%) of patients at admission, with dyspnea being the most common abnormality on general physical examination 20 (76.9%). Eleven (42.3%) patients had associated comorbidities with hypertension being the most common 7 (43.7%), followed by diabetes mellitus 4 (25.0%). Just 3 (11.5%) patients had mild disease, 13 (50.0%) had moderate disease, and 10 (38.5%) had severe disease. Lower respiratory tract infection or suspected COVID-19 was the initial diagnosis in 10 (38.5%) of patients at admission, while 16 (61.5%) were admitted with other diagnosis. Leukocytosis was found in 8 (30.8%) patients, 14 (53.8%) patients had anemia, elevated urea in 20 (76.9%), and elevated Creatinine in 11 (42.3%). Seventeen (65.4%) patients were discharged home, 2 (7.7%) referred to another center for hemodialysis, while 7 (26.9%) died. Conclusion: Understanding the clinical and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 in our local environment will be integral to earlier identification and treatment outcomes for our patients.

Türkiye'de Bir İlde COVID-19 Hastalarının Klinik Özelliklerinin İncelenmesi: Kesitsel Bir Çalışma

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients, such as their symptoms, laboratory and radiographic results. This is the first study to describe the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in the Eastern Black Sea region of Türkiye. Material and Methods: This is a single-center cross-sectional study. The sample of the study consisted of 556 patients who received inpatient treatment in pandemic clinics and intensive care units with the diagnosis of laboratory-approved COVID-19 infection in a public hospital in XXX province between 20 March 2020-27 August 2020 and whose patient information was recorded in an electronic environment and in the patient files. Results: The mean age of 556 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 was 58.08±17.18 years, and the three most common symptoms were cough (44.4%), fever (20.5%), and fatigue (17.3%). 30.2% of the patients had lymphocytopenia, 67.8% had high C-reactive protein (CRP), 37.9% had high lactate dehydrogenase, and 30.5% had positive D-dimer levels. Symptomatic patients had greater comorbidities and higher CRP levels than asymptomatic patients. High CRP odds ratio 2.069, high ferritin odds ratio 3.605, and platelet odds ratio 0.995 were found to be associated with abnormal thoracic tomography in the logistic regression. Conclusion: This study provides basic data to show the importance of determining the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in the Eastern Black Sea region of Türkiye. Results can be used as a knowledge base for future research and to implement procedures for improving safety perceptions among patients.

Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with Digestive Symptoms: A Retrospective Study from Dakar, Senegal

Introduction: As of February 2022, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a pandemic affecting all countries, with a total of 399 million patients and 5 million deaths. The lungs are the major organs involved in COVID-19. COVID-19 infection is not limited to the respiratory system but can affect multiple organs including the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms on admission in patients with COVID-19 and their association with adverse outcomes, including mortality. Methods: In a retrospective study, we examined medical record data from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to epidemic treatment center of hospital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar (Senegal) between May 1, 2020, and June 31, 2021. SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed by real-time polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal and throat swabs. We included all patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and GI symptoms. Result: The study identified 472 hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during the study period. We recruited 222 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. The mean age of patients with GI symptoms was 56 years [17 - 90 years], and 54.9% were male. Patients with GI symptoms had comorbidities in 66.2% of cases. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were the most common comorbidities at 29.3%, 23.9%, and 6.7%, respectively. Patients with GI had cough in 69.4%, shortness of breath in 61.7%, ageusia in 57.6%, and fever in 53.1%. At presentation among patients with GI symptoms, 32.4% had mild disease, 27.5% had moderate disease, and 40.1% had severe disease. The prevalence of digestive manifestations was 47%, and the main digestive manifestations were nausea (27%), diarrhea (17.1%), abdominal pain (17.1%) and vomiting (14.4%). GI symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting were more common in those with hypertension (45%) and those with diabetes (43%). Conclusion: Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in patients with COVID-19. During a pandemic, patients with GI symptoms should be considered for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Laboratory and demographic findings among patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a review.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the third known animal coronavirus, after severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The mean age of the infected patients was estimated to be between 50 and 69 years old. Accordingly, the COVID-19 mortality rate was calculated as 15%. In this regard, the essential component of prevention and planning is knowledge of laboratory and demographic findings among COVID-19 patients; therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate laboratory and demographic findings among these patients worldwide. This systematic review was performed on the articles published in English between January 1, 2019 and May 4, 2020, using MeSH-compliant keywords such as "COVID-19", "Laboratory, coronavirus disease-19 testing", and " demography " in international databases (PubMed, and web of science Scopus). Thereafter, the articles relevant to laboratory and demographic findings among COVID-19 patients were included in the final review. Reviewing the included articles showed changes in the mean lymphocytes count ranged from 0.7 to 39 in hospital or severe cases. Moreover, Leukopenia was not observed in patients with thrombocytopenia. In addition, C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocytes, D-dimer, FDP, FIB, neutrophils, AST, serum creatinine, t-troponin, troponin I, and blood bilirubin levels showed increasing trends in most studies conducted on COVID-19 patients. Notably, the elevated LDH level was more common among children than adults. According to the results of the present study, and by considering the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients on the one hand, and considering the changes in laboratory samples such as lymphocytes and other blood markers due to the damaged myocardial, hepatic, and renal tissues on the other hand, it is recommended to confirm the diagnosis of this infection by evaluating the patients' blood samples using other diagnostic methods like lung scan.