Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2020 | Coronavirus | Research article
Risk factors for disease progression in COVID-19 patients
Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2020
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Background
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is rapidly spreading worldwide. Although 10–20% of patients with COVID-19 have severe symptoms, little is known about the risk factors related to the aggravation of COVID-19 symptoms from asymptomatic or mild to severe disease states.
Methods
This retrospective study included 211 patients who were asymptomatic or with mild presentations of COVID-19. We evaluated the differences in demographic and clinical data between the cured (discharged to home) and transferred (aggravated to severe-stage COVID-19) groups.
Results
A multivariate logistic analysis showed that body temperature, chills, initial chest X-ray findings, and the presence of diabetes were significantly associated with predicting the progression to severe stage of COVID-19 (p < 0.05). The odds ratio of transfer in patients with COVID-19 increased by 12.7-fold for abnormal findings such as haziness or consolidation in initial chest X-ray, 6.32-fold for initial symptom of chills, and 64.1-fold for diabetes.
Conclusions
Even if patients are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, clinicians should closely observe patients with COVID-19 presenting with chills, body temperature > 37.5 °C, findings of pneumonia in chest X-ray, or diabetes.