Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of COVID-19 Cases Followed in Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine

Abstract

Objective: Understanding the natural course of COVID-19 and determining its clinical findings are essential for early diagnosis and treatment In this study, we aimed to investigate clinical and laboratory characteristics of cases followed with a diagnosis of COVID-19 in Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Methods: Among patients followed with a diagnosis of pos-sible/definitive COVID-19, those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test were evaluated retrospectively in terms of their clin-ical, laboratory and thorax computed tomography (CT) data Results: Among 407 patients followed with a diagnosis of pos-sible/definitive COVID-19, 149 (36 6%) were SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test-positive 82 (55%) of the patients were female and 67 (45%) were male Mean age was 49 3±7 6 years 11 (7 4%) were health care workers While the most common symptom was cough with 46 3%, fever was observed in 29 5%, sore throat in 27 5% and malaise in 26 8% of the patients 94 (63 1%) of the patients had underlying diseases Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most common underlying disease Laboratory findings were leukopenia in 12 (8 1%), lymphopenia in 34 (22 8%), throm-bocytopenia in 24 (16 1%), elevated D-dimer levels in 43 (28 9%), elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels in 73 (49%), and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 45 (30 2%) patients While 71 (47 6%) of the patients had normal thorax CT, 43 (28 9%) had mild pneumonia, and 35 (23 5%) moderate pneumonia D-dimer and CRP levels were higher in those with pneumonia than those without pneumonia (p=0 001 and p=0 001, respectively) As the pneumonia level increased, the increase of D-dimer and CRP levels became evident (p=0 003 and p=0 001, respectively) Conclusions: The clinical course of COVID-19 patients varies It is noteworthy that there is a positive correlation between the severity of pneumonia and the increase in D-dimer and CRP levels in COVID-19 Klimik Dergisi 2020;33(2): 122-7