Diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 and the potential role of deep learning: insights from the experience of Cairo University Hospitals

OBJECTIVES: Early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is crucial for patients and public health to ensure pandemic control. We aimed to correlate clinical and laboratory data of patients with COVID-19 and their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results and to assess the accuracy of a deep learning model in diagnosing COVID-19. METHODS: This was a retrospective study using an anonymized dataset of patients with suspected COVID-19. Only patients with a complete dataset were included (n = 440). A deep analytics framework and dual-modal approach for PCR-based classification was used, integrating symptoms and laboratory-based modalities. RESULTS: Participants with loss of smell or taste were two times more likely to have positive PCR results (odds ratio [OR] 1.86). Participants with neutropenia, high serum ferritin, or monocytosis were three, four, and five times more likely to have positive PCR results (OR 2.69, 4.18, 5.42, respectively). The rate of accuracy achieved using the deep learning framework was 78%, with sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 71.4%. CONCLUSION: Loss of smell or taste, neutropenia, monocytosis, and high serum ferritin should be routinely assessed with suspected COVID-19 infection. The use of deep learning for diagnosis is a promising tool that can be implemented in the primary care setting.