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Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses
Published on: November 10, 2023
SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza: similarities and disparities
Halima Dabaja-Younis1,2,3, Eyal Fuchs4, Nadeem Shorbaji5
1Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital, Rambam Health Care Campus, P.O. Box 9602, 31096, Haifa, Israel. h-dabaja@rambam.health.gov.il.
Abstract:
This report describes the differences in disease severity and clinical presentation between hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and others with seasonal influenza. A total of 136 influenza and 152 COVID-19 patients were included. Patients with influenza more frequently had dyspnea (p = 0.004), hypoxemia (p < 0.001), underlying diseases (p = 0.046), and elevated liver enzymes (p = 0.028). In contrast, patients with COVID-19 were overweight (p < 0.001), lymphopenic (p < 0.001), had elevated CRP (p = 0.011), and radiological abnormalities (p < 0.001). Patients with influenza were more severely ill on admission (NEWS > 5) (p < 0.001). However, length of hospital stay, ventilatory support, and 30-day-mortality were similar. Despite differences in clinical presentation and disease severity between influenza and COVID-19 patients, both groups had similar clinical outcomes.
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