Comparison between SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses associated with pneumonia.
Unlike the group with SARS-CoV-2-associated CAP, no deaths occurred in the group of CAP caused by other viruses.
Compared with patients with other viral-associated CAP, patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated CAP were older (8 vs. 1 year; odds ratio [OR] 1.33 [95% confidence interval, CI 1.23;1.44], p<0.001), had lower CRP levels (22 vs. 48 mg/L; OR 1 [95%CI 0.99;1], p<0.001), with less wheezing (17 vs. 53%; OR 0.18 [95%CI 0.11;0.31], p<0.001) and less work of breathing (42 vs. 83%; OR 0.18 [95%CI 0.10;0.31], p<0.001) (Table 1). We found that SARS-CoV-2 CAP was associated with a longer duration of fever (5 vs. 4 days; OR 1.16 [95%CI 1.08;1.26], p<0.001) but lower grade fever (37.8 vs. 39ÂșC; OR 0.35 [95%CI 0.26;0.46], p<0.001), more chest pain (14 vs. 6%; OR 3.39 [95%CI 1.48;8.54], p 0.006) and more abdominal pain (11 vs. 4%; OR 3.17 [95%CI 1.24;9.23], p 0.024). Patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated CAP showed more infiltrates than in the other viral CAP group by CXR (58 vs 35%; OR 2.46 [95%CI 1.53;3.98], p<0.001).
Use of oxygen therapy was more frequent in the other viral CAP group (76.8 vs. 44%; OR: 0.24 [95%CI 0.14;0.40], p<0.001). Conversely, patients with COVID-19 had more cardiological complications, including myocardial dysfunction, shock or arrhythmia (16.6 vs. 8.7%, OR 2.08 [95%CI 1.01;4.3], p=0.049) and more need of MV (7 vs. 0.7%, OR 10.8 [95%CI 1.3,85), p=0.02). There were no differences in the use of CPAP or HVF (10 vs. 5.8%, OR 1.79 [95%CI 0.73 to 4.3], p=0.19) or PICU admission (15 vs 9%, OR, 1.78 [95%CI, 0.85;3.77], p=0.125).
The logistic regression model showed that PICU admission was more likely in patients with higher levels of sodium and in patients with prior asthma. Likewise, the odds of PICU admission increased as lymphocytes or hemoglobin decreased (Table 2, Figure 3).