Influenza-associated pneumonia as reference to assess seriousness of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Kristin Tolksdorf, Silke Buda, Ekkehard Schuler, Lothar H. Wieler, Walter Haas
Abstract
Information on severity of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (transmissibility, disease seriousness, impact) is crucial for preparation of healthcare sectors. We present a simple approach to assess disease seriousness, creating a reference cohort of pneumonia patients from sentinel hospitals. First comparisons exposed a higher rate of COVID-19 patients requiring ventilation. There were more case fatalities among COVID-19 patients without comorbidities than in the reference cohort. Hospitals should prepare for high utilisation of ventilation and intensive care resources.
Topics & Concepts
SeriousnessMedicinePneumoniaCohortCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Intensive care medicineDiseaseCoronavirusPandemicCohort studyEmergency medicineInternal medicineInfectious disease (medical specialty)Political scienceLawCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesInfluenza Virus Research StudiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research