Early‐stage predictors of the acute phase duration in uncomplicated COVID‐19 pneumonia

• Published in: Journal of Medical Virology Vol. 93; no. 1; pp. 513 - 517
• Main Authors: Carallo, Claudio, Pugliese, Fabiola, Tripolino, Cesare, Lenzi, Lorenza, Oliveri, Chiara, Fasani, Giada, Guarrera, Giovanni M., Spagnolli, Walter, Cozzio, Susanna
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.01.2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Age; Blood; Blood cells; Blood platelets; Blood Platelets - pathology; Blood pressure; Coronaviridae; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - pathology; COVID-19 - virology; COVID‐19 pneumonia; disease duration; Female; hospital resources; hospital stay; Hospitalization; Humans; Intubation; in‐hospital; Male; Mechanical ventilation; Middle Aged; Partial pressure; Patients; Peripheral blood; Platelets; Pneumonia; Pneumonia - pathology; Pneumonia - virology; Respiratory diseases; SARS-CoV-2 - pathogenicity; SARS‐CoV‐2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Ventilation; Viral diseases; Virology; Vital signs; in-hospital; SARS-CoV-2; hospital resources; COVID-19 pneumonia; disease duration; hospital stay
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26281

Objective In this study, we aimed to highlight the common early‐stage clinical and laboratory variables independently related to the acute phase duration in patients with uncomplicated coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pneumonia. Methods In hospitalized patients, the acute phase disease duration was followed using the Brescia‐COVID respiratory severity scale. Noninvasive ventilation was administered based on clinical judgment. Patients requiring oropharyngeal intubation were excluded from the study. For parameters to be measured at the hospital entrance, age, clinical history, National Early Warning Score 2 (a multiparametric score system), partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood/fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F ratio), C‐reactive protein, and blood cell count were selected. Results In 64 patients, age (direct relationship), P/F, and platelet number (inverse relationship) independently accounted for 43% of the acute phase duration of the disease (P < .001). Conclusions For the first time, the present results revealed that the acute phase duration of noncomplicated pneumonia, resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is independently predicted from a patient's age, as well as based on the hospital entrance values of P/F ratio and peripheral blood platelet count. Highlights COVID‐19 has rapidly spread worldwide, straining the national health systems of several countries. It is needed to identify simple predictors of hospitalization duration to properly allocate medical resources. Age, P/F ratio, and platelet values predict acute phase duration of non‐complicated CoViD pneumonia.