SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza: similarities and disparities.

Authors :: Dabaja-Younis H
Fuchs E
Shorbaji N
Appel T
Carmon N
Shachor-Meyouhas Y
Green MS
Hussein K
Source :: Archives of virology [Arch Virol] 2022 Dec; Vol. 167 (12), pp. 2761-2765. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Oct 21.
Publication Year :: 2022
Abstract: This report describes the differences in disease severity and clinical presentation between hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and others with seasonal influenza. A total of 136 influenza and 152 COVID-19 patients were included. Patients with influenza more frequently had dyspnea (p = 0.004), hypoxemia (p < 0.001), underlying diseases (p = 0.046), and elevated liver enzymes (p = 0.028). In contrast, patients with COVID-19 were overweight (p < 0.001), lymphopenic (p < 0.001), had elevated CRP (p = 0.011), and radiological abnormalities (p < 0.001). Patients with influenza were more severely ill on admission (NEWS > 5) (p < 0.001). However, length of hospital stay, ventilatory support, and 30-day-mortality were similar. Despite differences in clinical presentation and disease severity between influenza and COVID-19 patients, both groups had similar clinical outcomes.<br /> (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)