Raija Auvinen1,2, Hanna Nohynek2, Ritva Syrjänen3, Jukka Ollgren2, Tuija Kerttula4, Jarkko Mäntylä5, Niina Ikonen6, Raisa Loginov7, Anu Haveri6, Satu Kurkela7, Kirsi Skogberg8. 1. Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. 2. Department of Health Security, Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 3. Department of Public Health Solutions, Public Health Projection and Evaluation Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 4. HUS Medical Imaging Center, Radiology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 5. Heart and Lung Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. 6. Department of Health Security, Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 7. HUS Diagnostic Center, HUSLAB, Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. 8. Inflammation Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We compared the clinical characteristics, findings, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or influenza to detect relevant differences. METHODS: From December 2019 to April 2020, we recruited all eligible hospitalized adults with respiratory infection to a prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in Finland. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections were confirmed by RT-PCR. Follow-up lasted for 3 months from admission. RESULTS: We included 61 patients, of whom 28 were COVID-19 and 33 influenza patients with median ages of 53 and 56 years. Majority of both COVID-19 and influenza patients were men (61% vs. 67%) and had at least one comorbidity (68% vs. 85%). Pulmonary diseases and current smoking were less common among COVID-19 than influenza patients (5 [18%] vs. 15 [45%], p=.03 and 1 [4%] vs. 10 [30%], p=.008). In chest X-ray at admission, ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and consolidations were more frequent among COVID-19 than influenza patients (19 [68%] and 7 [21%], p<.001). Severe disease and intensive care unit (ICU) admission occurred more often among COVID-19 than influenza patients (26 [93%] vs. 19 [58%], p=.003 and 8 [29%] vs. 2 [6%], p=.034). COVID-19 patients were hospitalized longer than influenza patients (six days [IQR 4-21] vs. 3 [2-4], p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral GGOs and consolidations in chest X-ray may help to differentiate COVID-19 from influenza. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients had more severe disease, required longer hospitalization and were admitted to ICU more often than influenza patients, which has important implications for public health policies.
BACKGROUND: We compared the clinical characteristics, findings, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or influenza to detect relevant differences. METHODS: From December 2019 to April 2020, we recruited all eligible hospitalized adults with respiratory infection to a prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in Finland. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections were confirmed by RT-PCR. Follow-up lasted for 3 months from admission. RESULTS: We included 61 patients, of whom 28 were COVID-19 and 33 influenza patients with median ages of 53 and 56 years. Majority of both COVID-19 and influenza patients were men (61% vs. 67%) and had at least one comorbidity (68% vs. 85%). Pulmonary diseases and current smoking were less common among COVID-19 than influenza patients (5 [18%] vs. 15 [45%], p=.03 and 1 [4%] vs. 10 [30%], p=.008). In chest X-ray at admission, ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and consolidations were more frequent among COVID-19 than influenza patients (19 [68%] and 7 [21%], p<.001). Severe disease and intensive care unit (ICU) admission occurred more often among COVID-19 than influenza patients (26 [93%] vs. 19 [58%], p=.003 and 8 [29%] vs. 2 [6%], p=.034). COVID-19patients were hospitalized longer than influenza patients (six days [IQR 4-21] vs. 3 [2-4], p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral GGOs and consolidations in chest X-ray may help to differentiate COVID-19 from influenza. Hospitalized COVID-19patients had more severe disease, required longer hospitalization and were admitted to ICU more often than influenza patients, which has important implications for public health policies.
Authors: Ricardo Wesley Alberca; Júlia Cataldo Lima; Emily Araujo de Oliveira; Sarah Cristina Gozzi-Silva; Yasmim Álefe Leuzzi Ramos; Milena Mary de Souza Andrade; Danielle Rosa Beserra; Luana de Mendonça Oliveira; Anna Cláudia Calvielli Castelo Branco; Anna Julia Pietrobon; Nátalli Zanete Pereira; Franciane Mouradian Emidio Teixeira; Iara Grigoletto Fernandes; Alberto José da Silva Duarte; Gil Benard; Maria Notomi Sato Journal: Front Physiol Date: 2021-01-27 Impact factor: 4.566