Association between Patient Characteristics and Lifestyle and Symptoms in Saudi Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

Research Article

Austin J Public Health Epidemiol. 2023; 10(4): 1153.

Association between Patient Characteristics and Lifestyle and Symptoms in Saudi Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

Anas Dablool*

Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology, Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Al-leeth, Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding author: Anas Dablool Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology, Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Al-leeth, Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Email: dr.dablool.tqm@gmail.com

Received: September 27, 2023 Accepted: October 24, 2023 Published: October 31, 2023

Abstract

Background: The most common symptoms being reported are fever, fatigue, dry cough, and other upper respiratory symptoms which are considered less common symptoms. Given that there is still a dire need to define a proper relationship between these risks and COVID-19; we also assessed the factors associated with the manifestations of these signs and symptoms.

Methodology: It’s an observational descriptive cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire sent to the participants via Whatsapp application focusing on COVID-19 related information between the end of 2020 and November 2021.

Results: The most reported symptoms during COVID-19 infection were exhaustion (65.6%), fever and losing the sense of smell (57.7% each), pains/aches and losing the sense of taste (55.7% and 55.5%).

Conclusion: The severity of the novel coronavirus ranges from mild symptoms (majority of cases) to severe respiratory tract infection. The most susceptible population involves the elderly and individuals with underlying medical conditions, especially obesity and diabetes. Symptoms in COVID-19 patients were mainly associated with presence of comorbidities, BMI, sex, and older age.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Obesity; Diabetes mellitus; Symptoms

Abbreviations: BMI: Body Mass Index; COVID-19: Coronavirus Disease 2019; ICU: Intensive Care Unit; MOF: Multi-Organ Failure; SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; SARS CoV-2: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2; SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Sciences

Introduction

The novel COVID-19 pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2), leads to severe respiratory diseases. The SARS CoV-2 belongs to a large family of coronaviruses that have been known to cause respiratory tract infections in humans [1]. Ever since its dawn in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019, it has spread all over the world and has become a global health emergency [2].

The morbidity and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 are more prevalent in older subjects who present different comorbidities [3]. The clinical onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection is variable from mild self-limited influenza-like symptoms to a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) with a conceivable relationship of Multi-Organ Failure (MOF) as a result of cytokine storm or hemophagocytic syndrome [4]. The most common symptoms being reported are fever (some early cases may not have fever only respiratory symptoms), fatigue, dry cough, dyspnea, nasal congestion, runny nose or sputum, and other upper respiratory symptoms which are considered less common symptoms. All of the infected patients had at least one symptom. Fever and cough were the dominant symptoms whereas upper respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms were rare [5]. Most reported cases experienced mild disease symptoms and may not present positive signs (have the coronavirus but are asymptomatic) [6]. Patients in severe conditions may have shortness of breath, moist rales in lungs, weakened breath sounds, and dullness on the percussion, septic shock, and irreversible metabolic acidosis in a matter of a short period of time [7]. It has also been noted that COVID-19 has detrimental effects, especially in patients suffering from other comorbidities like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and malignancies [8]. Patients already suffering from cardiovascular diseases are at a higher risk of suffering from a serious adverse effect, those without pre-existing cardiovascular conditions are also predisposed to cardiovascular complications, one of the most common of which is a thrombotic complication [9].

During the rapid escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April 2020, we conducted an online survey on the lifestyle during COVID-19 pandemic and the symptoms by Saudi adults for acquiring COVID-19 information. Given that there is still a dire need for a substantial number of studies to be done so that a proper relationship between these risks and COVID-19 can be defined; we also assessed the factors associated with the manifestations of these signs and symptoms.

Materials and Methods

Study Design and Participants

It’s an observational descriptive cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire sent to the participants as a Google document via Whatsapp application focusing on COVID-19 related information between the end of 2020 (after the first wave of COVID-19) and November 2021. All adults aged more than 18 years and living in the western region of Saudi Arabia were included in this study.

Ethical Considerations

The study was approved by our IRB committee (BIOMED-E-8-2020) on 17/9/2020. Due to the retrospective nature of the study, informed consent from the participating individuals was not required by the ethical review board. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in public, commercial, or nonprofit sectors.

Data Collection

Patients received a Google document via Whatsapp application using a newly developed questionnaire that inquired about:

- Socio-demographic and economic information: age, gender, education, occupation, income.

- Medical information: comorbidities, malaria, anxiety.

- Lifestyle information in the pandemic context: hand-washing, mask and gloves wear.

- Different symptoms related to COVID-19 infection: fever, exhaustion, pain, and many others with duration, severity and recovery

- Information regarding COVID-19 infection: testing, diagnosis, transmission, and education.

Statistical Analysis

All statistical analyses were performed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for social sciences version 24.0). Descriptive results are presented as mean±Standard Deviation for all quantitative variables (such as age), whereas number (percentage) is reported for all categorical variables (such as gender). All statistical analysis was done using two-tailed tests and an alpha error of 0.05. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Chi-squared analyses were used as appropriate to evaluate the relationships between participants’ characteristics and different symptoms. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test the association between number of symptoms and risk factors while adjusting to multiple variables.

Results

Table 1 shows the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients with slightly higher proportion of men (56.1%). Almost half of the participants are aged between 21-40 years (48%) followed by those aged between 41-60 years (41.6%). The mean weight was 80.29±20.57 Kg. The majority is from Saudi Arabia (90%), married (71.7%) with no comorbidities (67.5%) (Figure 1). A total of 249 had their flu vaccination (Figure 2). Regarding lifestyle characteristics during COVID-19 pandemic presented in Figure 3, only 6% live in an isolated neighborhood and almost the half go out because of work. The majority reported that they are keen to wash their hands (80.2%), mostly by soap (74.2%). Similarly, 81% wear their mask regularly, 71.9% keep social distancing while only 17.6% keen wear gloves.