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Observational Study
. 2021 Jan;14(1):6-11.
doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.11.002. Epub 2020 Dec 17.

Clinical characteristics of asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 patients in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Jumana Mansour AlJishi  1 , Alya Hassan Alhajjaj  1 , Fatimah Lateef Alkhabbaz  1 , Taaweel Hussain AlAbduljabar  1 , Ahmad Alsaif  1 , Hussain Alsaif  1 , Kawther Saeed Alomran  1 , Ghada Ali Aljanobi  1 , Zainab Alghawi  1 , Mohammed Alsaif  1 , Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq  2
Affiliations
Observational Study

Clinical characteristics of asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 patients in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Jumana Mansour AlJishi et al. J Infect Public Health. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Background: The first case of COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia was reported in Qatif on March 2nd, 2020. Here, we describe the clinical characteristics of the initial COVID-19 patients in that area.

Methods: This is an observational study describing the clinical presentation, radiographic and laboratory data of COVID-19 cases.

Results: From March 1st, 2020 to April 5th, 2020 we identified a total of 82 adult COVID-19 patients. The median age of the patients was 50 years, with a range of 30 to 60 years and most of patients were female 54 (65.9%). Of all the patients, 29 (35.4%) were contacts and 43 (52.4%) were returning travelers, mainly from Iraq (65% of the total returning travelers). Comorbidities were present in 50% of patients, G6PD deficiency in 33%, hypertension in 27%, and diabetes mellitus in 26%. Chest radiographs were abnormal in 46% of symptomatic and 15.5% of asymptomatic patients (P value = 0.0035). Of all patients, 4 (4.87%) required intensive care admission. There was no significant difference in time to negative RT-PCR with mean days to negativity of 13.6 and 16.9 for asymptomatic and symptomatic group, respectively (P value = 0.42).

Conclusions: In the initial Epicenter of the COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, the majority of the patients were asymptomatic and were returning travelers. Comorbidities were present in nearly half of the patients.

Keywords: Asymptomatic; COVID-19; Clinical presentation; Hospitalization; SARS-CoV-2.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percentage of Common Symptoms among Symptomatic COVID-19 patients. SOB: Shortness of breath.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A portable anterior-posterior chest radiograph showing bilateral infiltrate in an asymptomatic (A) and symptomatic (B) COVID-19 patients.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Survival Plot for days to negative comparing asymptomatic (solid line) and asymptomatic (dashed line) groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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