ABSTRACT
COVID-19 presents primarily as a lower respiratory tract infection, but the multisystemic nature of the disease, mainly associated with the broad cellular distribution of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) viral receptor, has been described. Indeed, multiple symptoms associated with COVID-19 have been identified, and underlying comorbidities have been related to poor outcomes. However, studies related to the clinical progression of the disease have mainly been conducted in the first regions affected by the pandemic. Thus, differences associated with specific populations have yet to be addressed to obtain a complete perspective of the disease. The Latin American region (LA), characterized by vast inequalities and a high prevalence of metabolic diseases, is expected to be one of the most affected regions during the pandemic. In this chapter, the clinical progression of patients with COVID-19 is reviewed and special emphasis on the clinical characteristics associated with COVID-19 in LA is presented. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 presents primarily as a lower respiratory tract infection, but the multisystemic nature of the disease, mainly associated with the broad cellular distribution of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) viral receptor, has been described. Indeed, multiple symptoms associated with COVID-19 have been identified, and underlying comorbidities have been related to poor outcomes. However, studies related to the clinical progression of the disease have mainly been conducted in the first regions affected by the pandemic. Thus, differences associated with specific populations have yet to be addressed to obtain a complete perspective of the disease. The Latin American region (LA), characterized by vast inequalities and a high prevalence of metabolic diseases, is expected to be one of the most affected regions during the pandemic. In this chapter, the clinical progression of patients with COVID-19 is reviewed and special emphasis on the clinical characteristics associated with COVID-19 in LA is presented.