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Publisher: Peytchinski Publishing Ltd.
ISSN: 1312-773X (Online)
Issue: 2024, vol. 30, issue3
Subject Area: Medicine
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DOI: 10.5272/jimab.2024303.5710
Published online: 28 August 2024
Original article
J of IMAB. 2024 Jul-Sep;30(3):5710-5719
CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AT HOSPITAL ADMISSION OF 5382 PATIENTS POSITIVE FOR SARS-CoV-2: A SINGLE CENTER RETROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM CENTRAL NORTHERN BULGARIA
Mariya Sredkova1
, Cvetan Popov1, Georgi Golemanov1, Vladislav Nankov1, Pencho Tonchev2, Alexander Blazhev1, Valeri Delcheva1, Slavcho Tomov3,
1) Virology Laboratory, Institute of Science and Research, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria.
2) Department of Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Health Care, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria.
3) Institute of Science and Research, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria.
ABSTRACT:
Purpose: To describe age- and sex-related differences in COVID-19 symptoms in patients admitted to emergency departments during the four waves of the pandemic in Central Northern Bulgaria
Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis of data collected from 5382 outpatients with positive result for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR, admitted to 11 emergency departments in Central Northern Bulgaria, was carried out.
Results: The median age of patients was 64 years, and 60.6% of them were old adults (≥ 60 years). Overall, more patients were males (51.8%) than females (48.2%). The most frequent symptoms were fever (84.8%), dyspnea (72.3%), and cough (69.9%) without significant difference in both sexes. Less common symptoms, such as sore throat, headache, loss of taste/smell, and fatigue, were found in 1.3% to 4.0% of patients and were more prevalent in women (p≤0.01). Fever remained constant, leading symptom in all ages. The incidence of cough and dyspnoea was less in young patients and showed an increase in middle-aged and old adults. Loss of taste and smell, muscle pain and fatigue displayed the opposite trend. For the leading symptoms, the male/female ratio was >1 in all age groups, whereas for all less common symptoms, this ratio was <1.
Conclusions: Older age, male sex and cardiovascular disease were major risk factors for COVID-19 infection. Fever, dyspnoea and cough were the core symptoms and were more prevalent in men and in adult patients. The less common symptoms were more frequent in young people and women.
Keywords: COVID-19, symptoms, age- and sex-related differences,
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Please cite this article as: Sredkova M, Popov C, Golemanov G, Nankov V, Tonchev P, Blazhev A, Delcheva V, Tomov S. Clinical characteristics at hospital admission of 5382 patients positive for SARS-CoV-2: A single center retrospective study from Central Northern Bulgaria. J of IMAB. 2024 Jul-Sep;30(3):5710-5719. [Crossref - 10.5272/jimab.2024303.5710]
Correspondence to: Mariya Sredkova, Virology Laboratory, Institute of Science and Research, Medical University – Pleven; 1, St. Kliment Ohridski Str., Pleven, Bulgaria; E-mail: microvir@abv.bg
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Received: 26 February 2024
Published online: 28 August 2024