Clinical features of COVID-19 infection among patients consulting at an emergency service

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is a serious public health problem worldwide. Aim: To describe the clinical features of COVID-19 infection in adult patients consulting at an Emergency Service. Material and Methods: Descriptive prospective study of adult patients with suspected COVID-19 consulting between April 1 and July 31, 2020, at the Emergency Service of a clinical hospital. Clinical features, chronic comorbidities and demographic data were recorded. Results: We assessed 2,958 adult patients aged 42 ± 15 years (46% males). In 54% of them, COVID-19 infection was confirmed, 40% had preexisting diseases, especially hypertension (15%), hypothyroidism (6%), diabetes (6%), asthma (5%) and obesity (6%). The main clinical manifestations associated with COVID-19 were general malaise (79%), anorexia (38%), myalgia (64%), fever (52%), headache (70%), anosmia/dysgeusia (60%), cough (56%), dyspnea (54%) and diarrhea (36%). In the multivariate analysis, the main clinical predictors of COVID-19 infection were malaise, anorexia, fever, myalgia, headache, nasal congestion, cough, expectoration, anosmia/dysgeusia, and history of close contact with a SARS-CoV-2 patient. Odynophagia and chest discomfort were negative predictors of the disease. The history of fever associated with anorexia, cough, and dyspnea or anosmia/dysgeusia and close contact with a SARS-CoV-2 patient had high specificity and positive predictive value for COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: Clinical features of COVID-19 infection were highly unspecific in these patients. Clinical diagnostic prediction models could be useful to support healthcare decision making at primary care setting.