COVID-19 Disease Duration and GIT Manifestations. A New Disease Severity Classification. An Egyptian Experience

This observational retrospective cohort single center national study was conducted on patients who tested positive COVID-19 infection by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nasopharyngeal sample in the period from first June to the med of July 2020. Patients were recruited from Kasr Al-Aini School of medicine, COVID-19 out-patient clinic, Cairo University hospitals.

The diagnosis and classification of severity of COVID-19 infection were made according to the clinical management of COVID-19, released by the World Health Organization (WHO), mild and moderate case were recruited, the treatment protocol used was according to the Egyptian ministry of health treatment recommendations, which met in part the criteria that was later on published by the national institute of health, Mild and moderate cases once diagnosed by PCR received hydroxychloroquine 400 mg twice daily first day and maintained on 200 mg twice daily for 6 days in mild cases and 10 days in moderate cases. Also they received anticoagulants, vitamin c and zinc. In case of secondary bacterial infection, empiric antibiotics are started till result of sputum culture and sensitivity. Steroids were initiated in hypoxic cases that required supplemental oxygen and in cases of persistent symptoms.

Any adult patient (age ≥18 years) suffering from mild or moderate COVID-19 infection was included in this study. While severe cases according to WHO classifications and patients aged less than18 were excluded from the study.

Inclusion criteria

• Mild and moderate COVID-19 patients:

Exclusion criteria

• Age less than 18 years
• Severe COVID-19 patients: with dyspnea, hypoxia, or >50 percent lung involvement on imaging within 24 to 48 hours
• Critical COVID-19 patients: with respiratory failure, shock, or multiorgan dysfunction