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A comparison of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) versus influenza during the pandemic: Can we distinguish COVID-19 from flu?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2021

Lindsey K. Nichols*
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Ascension St. John Hospital, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
Safa B. Maki
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Ascension St. John Hospital, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
Susan M. Szpunar
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Education, Ascension St. John Hospital, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
Ashish Bhargava
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Disease, Ascension St. John Hospital, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
Louis D. Saravolatz
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Ascension St. John Hospital, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
*
Author for correspondence: Lindsey K. Nichols, E-mail: Lindsey.nichols@ascension.org

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective chart review examining the demographics, clinical history, physical findings, and comorbidities of patients with influenza and patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Older patients, male patients, patients reporting fever, and patients with higher body mass indexes (BMIs) were more likely to have COVID-19 than influenza.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

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