A group of researchers from the United States and Israel conducted a study that compared the disease progression and presentation between in-hospital patients suffering from COVID-19 with other respiratory ailments such as influenza. They discovered that coronavirus patients displayed a unique cardiorespiratory, immune and metabolic profile, noting that the disease’s severity was higher in comparison with other respiratory illnesses.
The virus that causes the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is a deadly and highly infectious virus. It has infected more than 190 million individuals and claimed more than 4 million lives across the globe, despite the effective control measures that were implemented in a timely fashion to contain its spread.
Coronavirus-associated pneumonia is recognized as one of the main causes of higher mortality, among other pathological characteristics. The approaching winter season is expected to cause an increase in the number of respiratory ailments, including SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) and seasonal influenza as well as coronavirus cases.
This is why researchers deem it important to assess the differences in the clinical progression and presentation between the coronavirus and other respiratory infections in order to not only understand its prognosis but also identify features that are specific only to the coronavirus.
For their study, the researchers conducted an analysis of the electronic medical records of 8,651 patients suffering from different respiratory ailments who had been admitted to Israel’s Rambam Health Care Campus. The analysis, which evaluated comorbidities, lab findings, vital signs and patients’ demographic characteristics as well as mortality rates, was used to determine the ailment’s fatality and severity.
The researchers discovered that only about 25% of coronavirus patients were aged 75 and above, in comparison to 40% of SARI and influenza patients. In addition, they found that while 50% and 52% of influenza and coronavirus patients respectively were male, roughly 58% of SARI patients were male, noting that Arabs were more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus in comparison with SARI and influenza.
Furthermore, their findings showed that in comparison with SARI and influenza patients, comorbidities such as hypertension, cardiovascular and pulmonary problems and cancer was less frequent in coronavirus patients. Coronavirus patients also demonstrated higher diastolic blood pressure and lower systolic blood pressure and heart rate, compared to SARI patients.
The researchers reported no considerable differences in body temperature, breathing rate and oxygen saturation were observed. With regard to lab findings, coronavirus patients demonstrated higher lymphocyte count and lower neutrophil and white blood cell counts, compared to SARI and influenza patients.
The increased understanding that the research community has gained about the coronavirus behind COVID-19, combined with innovations from companies such as XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE: XPHY) (OTCQB: XPHYF) (FSE: 4XT), offers hope that this pandemic will be contained sooner rather than later.
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