Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
Design: Population based cohort study.
Setting: Iceland.
Participants: All individuals who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) between 17 March and 30 April 2020. Cases were identified by three testing strategies: targeted testing guided by clinical suspicion, open invitation population screening based on self referral, and random population screening. All identified cases were enrolled in a telehealth monitoring service, and symptoms were systematically monitored from diagnosis to recovery.
Main outcome measures: Occurrence of one or more of 19 predefined symptoms during follow-up.
Results: Among 1564 people positive for SARS-CoV-2, the most common presenting symptoms were myalgia (55%), headache (51%), and non-productive cough (49%). At the time of diagnosis, 83 (5.3%) individuals reported no symptoms, of whom 49 (59%) remained asymptomatic during follow-up. At diagnosis, 216 (14%) and 349 (22%) people did not meet the case definition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, respectively. Most (67%) of the SARS-CoV-2-positive patients had mild symptoms throughout the course of their disease.
Conclusion: In the setting of broad access to RT-PCR testing, most SARS-CoV-2-positive people were found to have mild symptoms. Fever and dyspnoea were less common than previously reported. A substantial proportion of SARS-CoV-2-positive people did not meet recommended case definitions at the time of diagnosis.
SUBMITTER: Eythorsson E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7708618 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Eythorsson Elias E Helgason Dadi D Ingvarsson Ragnar Freyr RF Bjornsson Helgi K HK Olafsdottir Lovisa Bjork LB Bjarnadottir Valgerdur V Runolfsdottir Hrafnhildur Linnet HL Bjarnadottir Solveig S Agustsson Arnar Snaer AS Oskarsdottir Kristin K Thorvaldsson Hrafn Hliddal HH Kristjansdottir Gudrun G Armannsdottir Brynja B Bjarnason Agnar A Johannsson Birgir B Gudlaugsson Olafur O Gottfredsson Magnus M Sigurdsson Martin I MI Indridason Olafur S OS Palsson Runolfur R
BMJ (Clinical research ed.) 20201202
<h4>Objective</h4>To characterise the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19).<h4>Design</h4>Population based cohort study.<h4>Setting</h4>Iceland.<h4>Participants</h4>All individuals who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) between 17 March and 30 April 2020. Cases were identified by three testing strategies: targeted testing guided by clinical suspicion, open invitation population sc ...[more]