Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether initial symptoms of COVID-19 are associated with mortality and morbidity. Materials and Methods : The data of 5628 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were collected by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The maximum level of morbidity during hospital admission was classified as mild or severe, and patient mortality was recorded. Clinical symptoms were categorized as respiratory, gastrointestinal, general, and neurologic symptoms. The hazard ratios (HRs) for clinical symptoms associated with mortality were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. The odds ratios (ORs) for clinical symptoms associated with morbidity were analyzed using the logistic regression model. Results : Of the included COVID-19 patients, 15.4% (808/5253) were classified as having severe morbidity. Morbidity was related to the clinical symptoms of cough, sputum, shortness of breath, vomiting/nausea, diarrhea, fever, and altered mental status or confusion. According to the symptom categories, respiratory and general symptoms were related to high morbidity (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.30–1.53, p < 0.001 for respiratory symptom and OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.18–1.59, p < 0.001 for general symptom). Mortality was associated with the clinical symptoms of shortness of breath, fever, and altered mental status or confusion. Among the symptom categories, respiratory symptoms were associated with a 1.17-fold increased HR for mortality (95% CI = 1.04–1.32, p = 0.008). Conclusions : Initial respiratory symptoms were related to high morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Mortality, Cohort studies, morbidity, case-control studies, Symptom assessment, 【초록키워드】 prevention, Symptom, cough, sputum, diarrhea, Symptoms, clinical, Fever, Control, Mild, Hospital admission, morbidity and mortality, COVID-19 patients, Odds ratio, Altered mental status, COVID-19 patient, initial symptom, Shortness of breath, Confusion, 95% CI, hazard ratio, clinical symptom, logistic regression model, categories, center, respiratory symptom, material, laboratory-confirmed, patient mortality, neurologic, Result, analyzed, collected, Cox proportional hazard, HRs, was recorded, was related, 【제목키워드】 prevention, clinical, Control, center,