An app that monitors symptoms identifies 6 types of coronavirus infection.
A team from King's College London discovered that the six types also correlated with infection severity levels and the likelihood of a patient needing respiratory assistance.
(Reuters)- British scientists analyzing data from a widely used Covid-19 symptom monitoring app have discovered that there are six distinct types of the disease, each differentiated by a set of symptoms.
A team from King's College London discovered that the six types also correlated with infection severity levels and the likelihood of a patient needing respiratory assistance – such as the use of a ventilator – if hospitalized.
The findings may help doctors predict which Covid-19 patients are most at risk and likely to need hospital care in future waves of the epidemic.
“If you can predict who these people are on day five, you’ll have time to help and intervene earlier, such as monitoring oxygen and blood sugar levels and ensuring they are adequately hydrated,” said Claire Steves, a physician who co-led the study.
In addition to cough, fever, and loss of smell—generally highlighted as three main symptoms of Covid-19—data from the app showed others, including headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, diarrhea, confusion, loss of appetite, and shortness of breath.
The results also varied significantly; some experienced mild symptoms like the flu or skin rashes, while others suffered more severe symptoms or died.
The study, released online this Friday but not yet peer-reviewed by independent scientists, described the six types of Covid-19 as:
1- Flu without fever: headache, loss of smell, muscle aches, cough, sore throat, chest pain, no fever.
2- Flu with fever: headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, fever, loss of appetite.
3- Gastrointestinal: headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, sore throat, chest pain, no cough.
4- Severe level one, fatigue: headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness, chest pain, fatigue.
5- Severe level two, confusion: headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain.
6- Severe level three, abdominal and respiratory: headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, abdominal pain.
Patients with severe types four, five, and six are more likely to be hospitalized and are more likely to require respiratory support, the researchers said.