Relationship between initial symptoms and prognosis of patients with Covid-19

OBJECTIVE: Aims to describe the initial symptoms most related to the prognosis of Covid-19. DESIGN: This is a retrospective cross sectional, quantitative, data analyzed study. SITE: This study was made in the family medicine centers (n = 82) of Çorlu district of Tekirdağ province, in Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: The study included patients (n = 1.506) who had a positive PCR test for Covid-19 from March to September 2020. And we asked them their initial symptoms which bring them to the family medicine centers before the test. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The participants’ age, gender, presence of chronic disease, and initial symptoms which they come to a healthcare facility were evaluated. These variables were analyzed in terms of length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission and mortality rates. RESULTS: The most common initial symptom in Covid-19 patients was cough. The presence of a chronic disease, the shortness of breath, malaise, the loss of smell and taste, and vomiting were found to be associated with an increased mortality rate. Advanced age, the presence of cough, malaise, the loss of smell and taste, and vomiting as the initial symptoms were found to have increased the likelihood of being admitted to the intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: The authors advise placing more attention on the initial symptoms of cough, malaise, the loss of smell and taste and vomiting in Covid-19 patients. Because these symptoms are related with severe prognosis indicators.