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Comparing COVID-19 and Influenza Presentation and Trajectory.
Anat Reiner Benaim1, Jonathan A Sobel2, Ronit Almog1
1Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.
Frontiers in Medicine
|May 31, 2021
Summary
COVID-19 patients presented differently than influenza and SARI, with unique impacts on immune response, coagulation, and metabolism. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- COVID-19, a novel respiratory illness, requires comparison with established respiratory infections.
- Understanding distinct clinical presentations and disease trajectories is vital for pathogenesis insights and treatment guidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and disease trajectories of COVID-19 patients with those of influenza, severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), and other respiratory illnesses.
- To identify unique features of COVID-19 that differentiate it from other common respiratory infections.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records from 8,651 adult patients hospitalized between October 2014 and October 2020.
- Categorization into four groups: COVID-19 (693), influenza (1,612), SARI (2,292), and Others (4,054).
- Analysis of demographics, vital signs, laboratory tests, comorbidities, and disease trajectories within the first 48 hours of hospitalization.
Main Results:
- COVID-19 patients were younger with higher BMI and lower comorbidity burden compared to influenza and SARI groups.
- In-hospital mortality was higher in older COVID-19 patients (≥65 years) compared to influenza patients.
- Admission biomarkers showed lower white blood cells and neutrophils, but higher pulse rate and lymphocyte percentage in COVID-19 patients. Trajectories indicated increasing white blood count, neutrophils, and glucose in COVID-19 patients.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 exhibits higher intrinsic virulence than influenza.
- COVID-19 uniquely impacts critical physiological functions including immune response, coagulation, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and metabolism.
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