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Risk Factors of Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients in Korea: Focus on Early Symptoms
Su Yeon Jang1, Jeong Yeon Seon1, Baik Lin Eun2
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Older age, male sex, and certain symptoms like fever increase COVID-19 mortality risk. Conversely, rhinorrhea and headache indicate a lower risk, guiding priority treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- The global spread of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) necessitates identifying risk factors for mortality and severe illness.
- Understanding demographic and clinical predictors is crucial for managing the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine risk factors for death and severe illness requiring supplemental oxygen in Korean COVID-19 patients.
- To analyze the impact of demographic and clinical characteristics on COVID-19 outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 5,068 COVID-19 patients in Korea, provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
- Logistic regression models were employed to assess the association between patient characteristics and outcomes.
- Variables included sex, age, comorbidities, symptoms, vital signs, and outcomes (death, oxygen therapy).
Main Results:
- Male sex, age ≥ 60 years, multiple comorbidities, admission symptoms, heart rate ≥ 120 bpm, and temperature ≥ 37.5°C were associated with higher risk of death and oxygen requirement.
- Rhinorrhea and headache were linked to a lower risk of adverse outcomes.
- Common symptoms included cough, sputum, and fever; 25.3% of patients were asymptomatic.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 patients presenting with high-risk symptoms like dyspnea and altered mental status require priority treatment.
- Patients without low-risk symptoms (rhinorrhea, headache) should also be considered for prioritized care.
- Identifying specific risk factors aids in stratifying patients for timely and effective interventions.
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the globe, and it is important to determine the risk factors of death in the general population. Our study aimed to determine the risk factors of death and severe illness requiring supplemental oxygen therapy based on the demographic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Korea.
Methods:
In this study, we used data provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and analyzed a total of 5,068 patients with COVID-19, excluding 19 pregnant women and 544 individuals with missing data. We performed logistic regression analysis to determine the impact of early symptoms on survival and severe disease. Logistic regression models included sex, age, number of comorbidities, symptoms on admission, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature as explanatory variables, and death and oxygen therapy as outcome variables.
Results:
Logistic regression analyses revealed that the male sex, older age (≥ 60 years), higher number of comorbidities, presence of symptoms on admission, heart rate ≥ 120 bpm, and body temperature ≥ 37.5°C presented with higher risk of in-hospital death and oxygen therapy requirement. Conversely, rhinorrhea and headache were associated with a low risk of death and oxygen therapy requirement. The findings showed that cough, sputum, and fever were the most common symptoms on admission, while 25.3% of patients with COVID-19 were asymptomatic.
Conclusion:
COVID-19 patients with high-risk early symptoms on admission, such as dyspnea and altered mental status, and those without low-risk symptoms of rhinorrhea and headache should be included in priority treatment groups.
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