Clinical and laboratory features of COVID-19 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 versus those infected with other SARS-CoV-2 strains:A retrospective observational study

Objective:To investigate the clinical symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)patients with and without B.1.1.7 mutation.Methods:This retrospective observational study included COVID-19 patients who were divided into two groups,the mutation and the non-mutation group.Demographics characteristics,clinical characteristics,laboratory parameters,and mortality rates were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results:A total of 196 patients were included in the study.The relationship between the mutant virus status and sex,age,comorbidity,survival status,and disease severity was not significant(P>0.05).No significant differences were found in duration of hospitalization between the mutation and the non-mutation group(P>0.05).However,there was a statistically significant difference between patients with and without mutant viruses in hemoglobin,mean platelet volume,procalcitonin,low density lipoprotein,iron-binding capacity,potassium,calcium,C-reactive protein,folate,creatine kinase myocardial band,D-dimer,and international normalized ratio(P<0.05).Conclusions:No significant difference is found in mortality rate,disease severity or duration of hospitalization between the patients with and without variant B.1.1.7.Careful monitoring of COVID-19 patients is required for all variants.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in a Brazilian public hospital

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has become a major health concern worldwide.In that context,the understanding of epidemiological and clinical features associated with the disease and its severity is crucial for the establishment of strategies aimed at disease control and remedy.AIM To describe epidemiological features,signs,symptoms,and laboratory findings among severely ill COVID-19 patients from an inten-sive care unit in northeastern Brazil as well as to evaluate predictor factors for disease outcomes.METHODS This is a prospective single-center study that evaluated 115 patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a northeastern Brazilian hospital.RESULTS The patients had a median age of 65.60±15.78 years.Dyspnea was the most frequent symptom,affecting 73.9%of the patients,followed by cough(54.7%).Fever was reported in approximately one-third of patients and myalgia in 20.8%of the patients.At least two comorbidities were found in 41.7%of the patients,and hypertension was the most prevalent(57.3%).In addition,having two or more comorbidities was a predictor of mortality,and lower platelet count was positively associated with death.Nausea and vomiting were two symptoms that were predictors of death,and the presence of a cough was a protective factor.CONCLUSION This is the first report of a negative correlation between cough and death in severely ill severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-infected individuals.The associations between comorbidities,advanced age,and low platelet count and the outcomes of the infection were similar to the results of previous studies,highlighting the relevance of these features.