Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital with and without respiratory symptoms

Faculty of Medicine

Assiut University

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital with and without respiratory symptoms

Research Authors
Barbara Wanjiru Citarella, Christiana Kartsonaki, Elsa D Ibánez-Prada, Bronner P Gonçalves, Joaquin Baruch, Martina Escher, Mark G Pritchard, Jia Wei, Fred Philippy, Andrew Dagens, Matthew Hall, James Lee, Demetrios James Kutsogiannis, Evert-Jan Wils, Mar
Research Date
Research Department
Department of Chest Diseases
Research Member
Aliae Abd Rabou Mohamed Hussein
Research Publisher
Elsevier
Research Vol
10
Research Website
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29591
Research Year
2024
Research Abstract

Background

COVID-19 is primarily known as a respiratory illness; however, many patients present to hospital without respiratory symptoms. The association between non-respiratory presentations of COVID-19 and outcomes remains unclear. We investigated risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients with no respiratory symptoms (NRS) and respiratory symptoms (RS) at hospital admission.

Methods

This study describes clinical features, physiological parameters, and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients, stratified by the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms at hospital admission. RS patients had one or more of: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or wheezing; while NRS patients did not.

Results

Of 178,640 patients in the study, 86.4 % presented with RS, while 13.6 % had NRS. NRS patients were older (median age: NRS: 74 vs RS: 65) and less likely to be admitted to the ICU (NRS …