Journals / KONURALP TIP DERGİSİ / 2026 / Volume: 14 Issue: 1

Initial Signs and Symptoms in Suspected Patients Admitted to Triage Outpatient Clinic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Single-Center Experience

Yusuf Çetin Doğaner(Department of Family Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-4045-941X
Ümit Kaplan(Military Health Services, Ministry of National Defence, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0003-1239-7634
Ümit Aydoğan(Department of Family Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0003-4114-3473
Aysun Yalçı(Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)
Mine Filiz(Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-6928-2435
Hatice Turhan(Department of Family Medicine, Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0003-0685-9855
Sevgi Sökülmez Yıldırım(Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-8612-0884
Uğur Bozlar(Department of Radiology, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-2233-2079
İsmail Yaşar Avcı(Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-6210-0010
Mustafa Taşar(Department of Radiology, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-4677-3928
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Publication Date
2022-03-14
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Some symptoms could have a significant relationship with PCR positivity, which requires a more careful approach during the first admission to healthcare facilities.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) is a worldwide pandemic with a huge burden of illness, high economic costs, and mortality rates.
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Key Findings & Data:This study sought to compare clinical signs and symptoms among adult COVID‐19 patients admitted to triage outpatient clinics.
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Conclusion & Impact:Some symptoms could have a significant relationship with PCR positivity, which requires a more careful approach during the first admission to healthcare facilities.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2020 Verileri
⚙️Variables:COVID-19 virus · Polymerase Chain Reaction · Signs and Symptoms

Abstract

Objective: Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) is a worldwide pandemic with a huge burden of illness, high economic costs, and mortality rates. This study sought to compare clinical signs and symptoms among adult COVID‐19 patients admitted to triage outpatient clinics. Methods: In this observational retrospective study, clinical symptoms, biochemical parameters, and chest computed tomography (CT) of 1745 suspected patients admitted to COVID-19 triage outpatient clinic between 01 April 2020-01 September 2020 were analyzed. Results: A total of 650 (37.2%) of 1745 patients who were admitted to triage outpatient clinic were diagnosed as COVID-19 by PCR confirmation. Of the participants, 88.1% had at least one symptom, 11.9% were asymptomatic. Almost half of the patients (50.1%) had a history of exposure including contact with COVİD-19 confirmed cases. COVID-19 (+) patients were more diabetic and hypertensive than negative cases. In patients who underwent chest CT imaging, 40.6% (310) had pneumonic infiltrations compatible with COVID-19 pneumonia. Hemoglobin, leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts were lower, but CRP levels were higher in patients with COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (OR=1.020; p=0.018), contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient (OR=1.907, p=0.009), fever (OR=1,588, p=0,001), fatigue (OR=2.075, p=0.009), cough (OR= 2.301, p<0.001) were significantly associated with increased odds of PCR (+) status. Conclusion: Predictive factors associated with PCR (+) test results were older age, history of contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient, high fever, fatigue, cough in our study. Some symptoms could have a significant relationship with PCR positivity, which requires a more careful approach during the first admission to healthcare facilities.

Özet

Objective: Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) is a worldwide pandemic with a huge burden of illness, high economic costs, and mortality rates. This study sought to compare clinical signs and symptoms among adult COVID‐19 patients admitted to triage outpatient clinics. Methods: In this observational retrospective study, clinical symptoms, biochemical parameters, and chest computed tomography (CT) of 1745 suspected patients admitted to COVID-19 triage outpatient clinic between 01 April 2020-01 September 2020 were analyzed. Results: A total of 650 (37.2%) of 1745 patients who were admitted to the triage outpatient clinic were diagnosed as COVID-19 by PCR confirmation. Of the participants, 88.1% had at least one symptom, 11.9% were asymptomatic. Almost half of the patients (50.1%) had a history of exposure including contact with COVİD-19 confirmed cases. COVID-19 (+) patients were more diabetic and hypertensive than negative cases. In patients who underwent chest CT imaging, 40.6% (310) had pneumonic infiltrations compatible with COVID-19 pneumonia. Hemoglobin, leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts were lower, but CRP levels were higher in patients with COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (OR=1.020; p=0.018), contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient (OR=1.907, p=0.009), fever (OR=1,588, p=0,001), fatigue (OR=2.075, p=0.009), cough (OR= 2.301, p<0.001) were significantly associated with increased odds of PCR (+) status. Conclusion: Predictive factors associated with PCR (+) test results were older age, history of contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient, high fever, fatigue, cough in our study. Some symptoms could have a significant relationship with PCR positivity, which requires a more careful approach during the first admission to healthcare facilities.

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Cite This Article

Doğaner, Y. Ç., Kaplan, Ü., Aydoğan, Ü., Yalçı, A., Filiz, M., Turhan, H., Yıldırım, S. S., Bozlar, U., Avcı, İ. Y., Taşar, M. (2022). Initial Signs and Symptoms in Suspected Patients Admitted to Triage Outpatient Clinic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Single-Center Experience. KONURALP TIP DERGİSİ, Volume: 14 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.18521/ktd.1052381

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