This article is a Preprint
Preprints are preliminary research reports that have not been certified by peer review. They should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Preprints posted online allow authors to receive rapid feedback and the entire scientific community can appraise the work for themselves and respond appropriately. Those comments are posted alongside the preprints for anyone to read them and serve as a post publication assessment.
Comparison Between Influenza and COVID-19 at a Tertiary Care Center
Preprint
in English
| medRxiv
| ID: ppmedrxiv-20163857
ABSTRACT
BackgroundWidespread reports suggest the characteristics and disease course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza differ, yet detailed comparisons of their clinical manifestations are lacking. ObjectiveComparison of the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with those of influenza patients in previous seasons at the same hospital DesignAdmission rates, clinical measurements, and clinical outcomes from confirmed COVID-19 cases between March 1 and April 30, 2020 were compared with those from confirmed influenza cases in the previous five influenza seasons (8 months each) beginning September 1, 2014. SettingLarge tertiary care teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts ParticipantsLaboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and influenza inpatients MeasurementsPatient demographics and medical history, mortality, incidence and duration of mechanical ventilation, incidences of vasopressor support and renal replacement therapy, hospital and intensive care admissions. ResultsData was abstracted from medical records of 1052 influenza patients and 583 COVID-19 patients. An average of 210 hospital admissions for influenza occurred per 8-month season compared to 583 COVID-19 admissions over two months. The median weekly number of COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation was 17 (IQR 4, 34) compared to a weekly median of 1 (IQR 0, 2) influenza patient (p=0.001). COVID-19 patients were significantly more likely to require mechanical ventilation (31% vs 8%), and had significantly higher mortality (20% vs. 3%; p<0.001 for all). Relatively more COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation lacked pre-existing conditions compared with mechanically ventilated influenza patients (25% vs 4%, p<0.001). LimitationThis is a single-center study which could limit generalization. ConclusionCOVID-19 resulted in more hospitalizations, higher morbidity, and higher mortality than influenza at the same hospital.
cc_no
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
medRxiv
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Year:
2020
Document type:
Preprint