Risk factors for severe cases of COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study

Aging (Albany NY). 2020 Aug 15;12(15):15730-15740. doi: 10.18632/aging.103803. Epub 2020 Aug 15.

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 has raged around the world since March, 2020. We aim to describe the clinical characteristics and risk factors of severe patients with COVID-19 in Guangzhou.

Results: The severity and mortality of COVID-19 was 10.4% and 0.3% respectively. And each 1-year increase in age (OR, 1.057; 95% CI, 1.018-1.098; P=0.004), Wuhan exposure history greater than 2 weeks (OR, 2.765; 95% CI, 1.040-7.355; P=0.042), diarrhea (OR, 24.349; 95% CI, 3.580-165.609; P=0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR, 6.966; 95% CI, 1.310-37.058; P = 0.023), myoglobin higher than 106 μg/L (OR, 8.910; 95% CI, 1.225-64.816; P=0.031), white blood cell higher than 10×109/L (OR, 5.776; 95% CI, 1.052-31.722; P=0.044), and C-reactive protein higher than 10 mg/L (OR, 5.362; 95% CI, 1.631-17.626; P=0.006) were risk factors for severe cases.

Conclusion: Older age, Wuhan exposure history, diarrhea, chronic kidney disease, elevated myoglobin, elevated white blood cell and C-reactive protein were independent risk factors for severe patients with COVID-19 in Guangzhou.

Methods: We included 288 adult patients with COVID-19 and compared the data between severe and non-severe group. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods to explore risk factors of severe cases.

Keywords: COVID-19; clinical characteristics; risk factors; severe cases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis*
  • COVID-19
  • China / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections* / blood
  • Coronavirus Infections* / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections* / mortality
  • Coronavirus Infections* / physiopathology
  • Diarrhea* / diagnosis
  • Diarrhea* / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Incubation Period
  • Leukocyte Count / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myoglobin / analysis*
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / blood
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / etiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / mortality
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / physiopathology
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / epidemiology*
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • Myoglobin
  • C-Reactive Protein