ABSTRACT
Background The men infected with COVID-19 have been shown to have more severe disease and a higher mortality rate. Morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 are mediated through intense viral inflammation and increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate any gender difference in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia in terms of inflammatory biomarkers. Methods Our study included 132 patients. The general characteristics, radiological features and laboratory parameters of the patients were recorded. Results No difference was observed between the genders according to comorbidities, pulse steroid requirement and hypoxemia. There was no difference between the male and female participants in terms of age, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, red cell distribution width, C-reactive protein, troponin, albumin and D-dimer. However, duration of hospitalization; percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PNL); and haemoglobin, alanine aminotransferase and ferritin values were higher in the males, and lymphocyte percentage and platelet count were higher in the women participants. Conclusion Larger studies with gender-specific reporting and robust analyses are required to clarify how gender alters the cellular and molecular pathways associated with COVID-19. This would improve the interpretation of biomarkers and the clinical management of COVID-19 patients by facilitating a personalised medical approach to risk stratification, prevention and treatment.
ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause asymptomatic, mild upper respiratory tract symptoms and pneumonia in young persons. How the disease will progress in each patient is still unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prognostic markers of the development of pneumonia and the clinical characteristics of patients under 65 years with COVID-19 confirmed by a positive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test. Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 271 patients admitted in our unit were included. The patients were divided into two groups, those who did and those who did not develop pneumonia. Their clinical features, treatment protocols, and laboratory parameters were recorded retrospectively. Results: Pneumonia developed in 67.9% (n = 184) of the cases. The age in the pneumonia group was higher than that in the non-pneumonia group (p < 0.001). In the logistic regression analysis, the symptom and co-morbidity status were examined according to the presence of pneumonia; hypertension (HT) (OR: 4525, 95% CL: 1,494-13,708) was the most important risk factor for pneumonia. When age and laboratory values were examined according to the presence of pneumonia, advanced age (OR: 1.042, 95% CL: 1.01-1.073), low albumin (OR: 0.917, 95% CL: 0.854-0.986), and high troponin (OR: 1.291, 95% CL: 1.044-1.596) were identified as risk factors for pneumonia. Conclusion: In this article, HT (22.3%, P < 0.001) has been considered as an important risk factor, whereas association of diabetes mellitus (21.2%, P 0.029) and smoking (25.0%, P 0.038) was also significant. The median age of the group was 51 (41.5-58) in the group developing pneumonia and 41 (30-48) in the non-developing group. Young patients with these predictive factors should be more carefully evaluated by further diagnostic procedures, such as thoracic computed tomography.
ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of our research was to investigate retrospectively the relationship between the symptoms and general characteristics, initial laboratory values and treatments in patients who had COVID-19 and who applied to the chest diseases outpatient clinic for control after 1 month. METHOD: Three hundred fifteen patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and applied to the chest diseases outpatient clinic between May 2020 and August 2020 for control in the 1st month were included in the study. Patient information was collected from the hospital information system and the e-pulse system. RESULTS: Females accounted for 50.2% of our patients and their mean age was 47.9 ± 14.8 (19-88) years. About 14.3% (n: 45) of the individuals were 65 years of age and older, 20.6% (n: 65) of our patients were smoking and 70.2% (n: 221) of our patients were treated at home. A total of 133 patients had at least one comorbid disease. The patients most frequently reported cough, dyspnoea, weakness, myalgia and diarrhoea. The most common symptoms were cough, dyspnoea, weakness and myalgia in the 1st month. Initial D-dimer, initial CRP and the values of platelet, D dimer and CRP in the 1st month were detected to be higher in patients with persistent symptoms when the laboratory values of patients whose symptoms continue after 1 month were examined. It was determined that the symptoms had persisted in patients who had been hospitalised, had dual therapy, had comorbid diseases and had more common pathologies in their pulmonary imaging. CONCLUSION: Symptoms may persist for a long time in hospitalised patients, in patients with COVID-19-related pneumonia and concomitant chronic diseases and in patients with high D-dimer and high CRP at the time of admission. Patients are informed that their symptoms may last for a long time, unnecessary hospital admissions can be avoided.