Clinical symptoms, comorbidities and health outcomes among outpatients infected with the common cold coronaviruses versus influenza virus.

Clinical symptoms, comorbidities and health outcomes among outpatients infected with the common cold coronaviruses versus influenza virus.

Publication date: Oct 08, 2024

Common cold coronaviruses (ccCoVs) and influenza virus are common infectious agents causing upper respiratory tract infections (RTIs). However, clinical symptoms, comorbidities, and health effects of ccCoV infection remain understudied. A retrospective study evaluated 3,935 outpatients with acute upper RTI at a tertiary teaching hospital. The presence of ccCoV and influenza virus was determined by multiplex molecular assay. The demographic, clinical symptoms, and health outcomes were compared between patients with ccCoV (n = 205) and influenza (n = 417) infections. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to evaluate predictors and health outcomes over a one-year follow-up. Sore throat, nasal discharge, headache, and myalgia were more predominant in ccCoV infection; fever was common in influenza. Most patients reported moderate symptoms severity (49. 8% ccCoV, 56. 1% influenza). Subsequent primary care visits with symptoms of RTI within a year were comparable for both infections (27. 3% ccCoV vs. 27. 6% influenza). However, patients with influenza reported increased primary care visits for non-RTI episodes and all-cause hospital admission. Baseline comorbidities were associated with increased primary care visits with symptoms of RTI in either ccCoV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2. 5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1. 1-5. 9; P = 0. 034) or influenza (OR 1. 9; 95% CI 1. 1-3. 1; P = 0. 017) infections, due probably to the dysregulation of the host immune response following acute infections. In patients infected with influenza infection, dyslipidemia was a predictor for subsequent primary care visits with symptoms of RTI (unadjusted OR 1. 8; 95% CI 1. 0-3. 0; P = 0. 040). Both influenza and ccCoV infection pose significant disease burden, especially in patients with comorbidities. The management of comorbidities should be prioritized to mitigate poor health outcomes in infected individuals.

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Concepts Keywords
Coronaviruses Clinical symptom
Dyslipidemia Common cold coronaviruses
Hospital Comorbidity
Teaching Disease burden
Influenza virus

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