Investigation of the Relationship between Vitamin D Deficiency and Vitamin D-Binding Protein Polymorphisms in Severe COVID-19 Patients.

This study explores the association of vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) gene polymorphisms, vitamin D levels, and the severity of COVID-19, including the need for intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. We analyzed a cohort of 56 consecutive age- and gender-matched adult COVID-19-positive patients and categorized them into three groups: outpatients with mild illness, inpatients with moderate disease, and ICU patients. We measured levels of free, total, and bioavailable 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], VDBP, and albumin. VDBP polymorphisms rs5488 and rs7041 were identified using real-time PCR. A significant proportion of ICU patients were vitamin D-deficient (56.25%) compared to outpatients (10%) and inpatients (5%) (p = 0.0003). ICU patients also had notably lower levels of VDBP (median: 222 mg/L) and total 25(OH)D (median: 18.8 ng/mL). Most patients carried heterozygous rs7041 (60.7%) and wild-type rs4588 (58.9%) genotypes. The distribution of rs7041 SNP varied significantly among groups (p = 0.0301), while rs4588 SNP distribution did not (p = 0.424). Heterozygous rs4588 patients had significantly lower VDBP levels (p = 0.029) and reduced bioavailable 25(OH)D compared to those with wild-type rs4588 (p = 0.020). Our findings indicate that VDBP gene polymorphisms, particularly rs7041 and rs4588, are associated with vitamin D status and the severity of COVID-19. The lower VDBP levels and bioavailable vitamin D in ICU patients suggest that these genetic variants may influence disease severity and hospitalization needs. These results highlight the potential role of VDBP polymorphisms in COVID-19 severity, suggesting that genetic screening could be valuable in assessing the risk of severe outcomes and guiding personalized treatment strategies.

Analysis of increased motorcycle accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-center study from Türkiye.

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a unique set of circumstances, straining health-care systems and affecting the way of life in societies around the world. Measures such as social isolation, travel restrictions, and workplace closures have led to an increase in motorcycle use. Consequently, motorcycle accidents have become a significant problem during this period. This study presents detailed research conducted to examine motorcycle accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand the causes and consequences of the increase in these accidents. METHODS: This research evaluated records from a single health examination and used various models to analyze motorcycle acci-dents within a specified time period. Additionally, retrospective analyses were conducted to examine associations between motorcycle use and crashes in our country before and after the pandemic. The records of 386 patients who were injured in motorcycle accidents and followed up, received treatment, and were recorded at Biruni University Hospital between November 2015 and April 2023 were retrospectively examined. Noted details included the victims' age, gender, injury mechanism, injury site, injury severity, helmet use, presence and location of fractures, time distribution of the accident, and the severity of other important tissue injuries. The relationship between the injury site, fractures, and accident details, and the "Injury Severity Score" (ISS) was also investigated. RESULTS: Among the 386 injured victims in motorcycle accidents, 333 were male and 53 were female. Of these, 168 (43.5%) were motorcycle drivers, 137 (35.5%) were motorcycle couriers, and 81 (21%) were pedestrians. A total of 186 (48%) injuries occurred before the pandemic (November 2015-March 2020), while 200 (52%) were sustained during the pandemic. The study indicates a noticeable increase in motorcycle injuries, particularly among motor couriers, especially during the pandemic quarantine periods. Post hoc analysis revealed that motor couriers had significantly lower ISS compared to other professions (p=0.009 and p=0.045, respectively). Motorcyclists who wore helmets were found to have significantly lower ISS than those who did not wear helmets (p<0.05). Furthermore, it was found that the ISS was positively correlated with the number of bone fractures, total soft tissue injury, and significant clinical characteristics (r=0.758, r=0.756, and p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: This clinical study's findings demonstrate that the measures implemented during the pandemic to limit society's mobility have led to an increase in motorcycle accidents. Notably, there has been a significant rise in the number of accidents, particularly involving individual motorcycle use and motorcycle courier services.

Comparing the effectiveness of single-lumen high-frequency positive pressure ventilation with double-lumen endobronchial tube for the anesthesia management of endoscopic thoracic sympathetic blockade surgery.

OBJECTIVES: In this trial, we aimed to compare anesthetic effectiveness of single lumen tube (SLT) for tracheal intubation with high-frequency positive pressure ventilation (HFPPV) versus classic double lumen tube (DLT) for tracheal intubation in endoscopic thoracic sympathetic blockade surgery. DESIGN: This was a prospective randomized controlled clinical study. SETTING: The study was single-centered and conducted in a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: There were 135 endoscopic thoracic sympathetic blockade patients in this study. INTERVENTIONS: The patients were randomly allocated either to DLT (n = 67) or SLT (n = 68) groups. In SLT group, the ventilator setting was kept with frequencies that range from 1 to 1.8 Hz (60-110/min). Data regarding anesthesia duration, surgery duration, difficult intraoperative lung deflation, postoperative atelectasis, postoperative pain, postoperative pneumothorax were recorded and compared. All patients were operated by a single experienced surgeon under general anesthesia provided by the same anesthesia team. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Both groups were age and gender matched. Among all recorded variables, only anesthesia time was found to be close to statistical significance (P = .059, favoring single lumen). All other parameters were found to be similar between groups. (P < .05). CONCLUSION: We reported that DLT and single lumen tracheal intubation were equally effective for lung deflation during surgery, and SLT with HFPPV ventilation mode during endoscopic thoracic sympathetic blockade surgery provided the surgeon with an adequate and clean workspace with shorter onset of anesthesia. We may suggest the HFPPV technique for uncomplicated surgery groups or where sufficient conditions for DLT cannot be provided in the operating room.

Electric scooters as a silent source of danger in increasing use among young people: a single-center in-depth accident analysis.

BACKGROUND: The reasons for the increase in accidents involving shared stand-up e-scooters in recent years may be the wide-spread use of e-scooters among young people, especially in metropolitan areas with heavy traffic, non-compliance with traffic rules, and insufficient legal regulations. In this study, we analyzed in detail the typical features of rider-sharing e-scooter-related injuries brought to the emergency department of our hospital in the light of current literature. METHODS: The clinical and accident characteristics of 60 patients with surgical requirements who were brought to the emergency department of our hospital due to e-scooter-related accidents between 2020 and 2020 were analyzed using statistical methods ret-rospectively. RESULTS: The majority of the victims were university students and the number of victims of the male gender was slightly higher and the mean age was 25.3±13.0 years. Most e-scooter accidents occur on weekdays. Most of the e-scooter-related accidents happen on weekdays and are non-collision type accidents. The majority of e-scooter-related accident victims were in the minor trauma group (injury severity score <9), predominantly had extremity and soft-tissue injuries and needed radiological examination (44 patients, 73.3%), and only eight victims (13.3%) required surgical operation and also all of the e-scooter victims were discharged fully healed. CONCLUSION: Among the more common collision-free e-scooter-related accidents that have a lower trauma severity score or cause minor soft-tissue injury, mono-trauma occurs more commonly than multisystem trauma; likewise, radius and nasal-weighted monofractures occur more commonly than multiple fractures, according to this study. Besides, effective measures and legal regulations should be put in place to prevent e-scooter-related accidents.

Biruni Index as a Novel Diagnostic Tool for the Early Prediction of Mortality in Critical Patients With COVID-19: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to find out the potential risk factors associated with mortality in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients hospitalized due to viral bronchopneumonia, and to establish a novel COVID-19 mortality index for daily use. METHODS: The study included 431 quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19-positive patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a tertiary care hospital. Patients were divided into training and validation cohorts at random (n= 285 and n= 130, respectively). Biruni Index was developed by multivariate logistic regression analysis for predicting COVID-19-related mortality. RESULTS: In univariate logistic regression analysis, age, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, respiratory and pulse rates per minute, D-dimer, pH, urea, ferritin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels at first admission were statistically significant factors for the prediction of mortality in the training cohort. By using multivariate logistic regression analysis, all of these statistically significant parameters were used to produce Biruni Index. Statistically significant differences in Biruni Index were observed between ex and non-ex groups in both training and validation cohorts (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for Biruni Index were 0.901 (95CI%: 0.864-0.938, P < 0.001) and 0.860 (95CI%: 0.795-0.926, P < 0.001) in training and validation cohorts, respectively. CONCLUSION: As a pioneering clinical study, Biruni Index may be a useful diagnostic tool for clinicians to predict the mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19 hospitalized due to severe viral bronchopneumonia. However, Biruni Index should be validated with larger series of multicenter prospective clinical studies.

Comparison of Cytokine Hemadsorption as an Immunomodulator Therapy in COVID-19 Patients with and without Bacterial Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: In this retrospective study, we aimed to compare the laboratory and clinical results of cytokine hem-adsorption as an immunomodulation therapy in COVID-19 ICU patients with or without sepsis. METHODS: The levels of PCT, CRP, and ferritin were determined as indicators of infection/sepsis; the levels of in-terleukins (IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10, and TNF-α) were determined as indicators of cytokine storm were compared. APACHE score, SOFA score, and mortality rates were compared for the progression of the disease in 23 COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: The therapy was generally successful in reducing the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α but the levels measured after the procedure did not differ among the patients with or without sepsis, suggesting that the presence of sepsis did not affect the efficacy and function of the cytokine hemadsorption procedure in COVID-19 patients. All parameters were reduced after the procedure except the levels of PCT and ferritin and mortality rates of patients diagnosed with sepsis. The level of PCT was significantly higher in these patients compared with the patients without sepsis while the ferritin and mortality did not show any significant difference between the two groups, suggesting that the cytokine hemadsorption may be safe in the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSIONS: As a result, the progression of sepsis in COVID-19 may be avoided with cytokine hemadsorption applied as an immunomodulator therapy. However, this therapy should be further explored and validated prior to its introduction to everyday clinical practice when the epidemic conditions end.

Targeting the PANoptosome with 3,4-Methylenedioxy-ß-Nitrostyrene, Reduces PANoptosis and Protects the Kidney against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were a) to investigate the effect of targeting the PANoptosome with 3,4-methylenedioxy-ß-nitrostyrene (MNS) on PANoptosis in the Renal ischemia-reperfussion (RIR) model b) to investigate the kidney protective effect of MNS toward RIR injury. METHODS: Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups randomly. The groups were assigned as Control, Sham, DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) and MNS groups. The rats in the MNS group were intraperitoneally given 20 mg/kg of MNS 30 minutes before reperfusion. 2% DMSO solvent that dissolves MNS were given to the rats in DMSO group. Left nephrectomy was performed on the rats under anesthesia at the 6th hour after reperfusion. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and 8-Okso-2'-deoksiguanozin (8-OHdG) levels were measured. Immunohistochemical analysis, electron microscopic and histological examinations were carried out in the tissues. RESULTS: Total tubular injury score was lower in the MNS group (p < 0.001). Caspase-3, Gasdermin D and MLK (Mixed Lineage Kinase Domain Like Pseudokinase) expressions were considerably decreased in the MNS group (p < 0.001). Apoptotic index (AI) was found to be low in the MNS group (p < 0.001). CAT and SOD levels were higher in the MNS Group (p = 0.006, p = 0.0004, respectively). GPx, MDA, and 8-OH-dG levels were similar (p > 0.05) in all groups. MNS considerably improved the tissue structure, based on the electron microscopic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that MNS administrated before the reperfusion reduces pyroptosis, apoptosis and necroptosis. These findings suggest that MNS significantly protects the kidney against RIR injury by reducing PANoptosis as a result of specific inhibition of Nod-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP 3), one of the PANoptosome proteins.

Association between ABO blood types and the prognosis and mortality rates in patients with severe COVID-19 admitted in the intensive care unit of a tertiary-level hospital in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: There is limited number of data showing possible correlation between ABO blood types and prognosis and mortality of COVID-19 patients. It was aimed to investigate whether ABO blood group type affects the prognosis and mortality rates in patients with severe COVID-19 hospitalized in the ICU (intensive care unit) of a tertiary-level hospital in Turkey. METHODS: The data of 273 patients with diagnosis of severe COVID-19 who were admitted to ICU from April 2020 through June 2021 and in an age range between 25-93 years were evaluated in this retrospective study. RESULTS: Blood group distribution was 47.3, 13.2, 10.6 and 28.9% for groups A, B, AB, and O, respectively. As a respiratory status at admission to ICU, the ratio of intubation patients with blood type O was significantly higher than of other groups while most of patients in group A achieved spontaneous respiration without any mechanical ventilator (p = .0168). The mean neutrophil ratio, NLR, concentrations of procalcitonin, lactate, urea and ferritin significantly increased in the serum of patients with type O (p < .01 for all except p = .016 for the ferritin). The weaning duration was longest among patients with blood group O while the hospitalization duration was longest among patients with group AB; however, there was not significant difference (p > .05). The highest mortality rate was calculated in group AB as 68.97% and lowest was 47.2% in group B without any statistical difference (p > .05). CONCLUSION: ABO blood types carry different association risk factors for the prognosis of severe COVID-19 patients hospitalized in ICU. Specifically, blood group O was correlated with an increased risk of deterioration of respiratory status including intubation and elevation of laboratory findings whereas it did not affect the risk of increased mortality.

Can the Reduction of Cytokines Stop the Progression of Sepsis?

Objective In this study, we aimed to analyze the laboratory and clinical results of cytokine hemadsorption as an immunomodulation therapy in ICU patients diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock. Methods The levels of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP), determined to be indicators of infection/sepsis, and the levels of interleukins (IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), deemed as indicators of the cytokine storm, were compared among 32 patients before and after the hemadsorption procedure. Results The hemadsorption significantly reduced the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα, PCT, CRP, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) scores, mortality rate, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (p<0.05). APACHE scores and the mean predicted mortality rate (PMR) of the non-survivors measured before the procedure was significantly higher than those of survivors (p=0.002 for both). IL-10, APACHE scores, and the mortality rates determined before the hemadsorption procedure were deemed significant parameters to predict the mortality among all ICU patients (p<0.05). IL-10 levels ≤125.3 ng/L, APACHE score >30, and PMR >70.33 were significantly associated with the mortality rates of all patients, indicating that these three parameters determined before the hemadsorption may be good predictors of mortality among ICU patients with sepsis. Conclusion The progression of sepsis in ICU patients may be prevented with cytokine hemadsorption applied as an immunomodulator therapy.

Literature Review of Hemadsorption Therapy in Severe COVID-19 Cases: a Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND: A novel therapy for reducing the cytokines in the circulatory system used for severe COVID-19 cases was hemoperfusion or hemadsorption method. Although the hemoperfusion methods have been shown to be beneficial in the cytokine storm during influenza infection, it is not known to what extent it is successful for COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review the studies on severe COVID-19 treated with the hemoperfusion methods. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Springer databases. Since the included articles consisted of case reports, case series, and one controlled trial, only the mean of the analyzed data could be calculated. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included in the narrative review, including 86 patients with severe COVID-19. All the patients had hemoperfusion therapy with following cartridges: CytoSorb®, oXiris®, Biosky filter, SeaStar® CLR filter, HA280, HA330 Jafron©, and resin directed hemadsorption cartridges. Mortality rate, the mean of intubation time, duration in intensive care unit and hospital were 29%, 14.93 days, 17.21 days, and 31.7 days, respectively. The mean values of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 decreased after hemoperfusion sessions (131.7 to 66.0, 527.5 to 334.7, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this narrative review, it is demonstrated that hemadsorption therapy is an alternative salvage treatment method in critically ill COVID-19 patients, but the data must be supported by strong evidence.

Association between Vitamin D Status and Secondary Infections in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary-Level Hospital in Turkey.

There are several studies showing that the vitamin D status can determine risk of COVID-19 infections, severity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the association between vitamin D (25(OH)D) and secondary infections in the prognosis of COVID-19 patients has not been reported yet. The aim was to investigate whether the vitamin D status affects the rates of secondary infections in patients with severe COVID-19 hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary-level hospital in Turkey. The data of 194 patients with diagnosis of severe COVID-19 who were admitted to the ICU from March 2020 to June 2021 and older than 18 years were evaluated in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into two groups according to total serum 25(OH)D level as normal group (≥20 ng/mL) and low group (<20 ng/mL). The 25(OH)D level was low in 118 (60.8%) and normal in 76 (39.2%) patients. The mean age of the low group was significantly higher than that of the normal group (67.02 ± 14.47 vs. 61.70 ± 14.38; p = 0.013). The systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as the Glasgow coma scale score of the low group were significantly lower than that of the normal group (p = 0.004, 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). The intubation rate and APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) score of the low group was significantly higher than that of the normal group (p = 0.001). The platelets number and blood pH decreased, and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, procalcitonin, lactate, urea, creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase concentrations increased significantly in the low group (p < 0.05). The mortality rate was 79.7% in the low group and 22.4% in the normal group (p < 0.001). Microbiological growth was observed in 68.6% of the normal group and 52.6% of the normal group (p = 0.025). The number of cultures with resistant bacteria was significantly higher in the low group (25.9%) than that in the normal group (17.5%) (p = 0.035). The severe COVID-19 patients hospitalized with vitamin D deficiency may have increased risks of poor prognosis and mortality due to secondary infections in the ICU.

The Diagnostic and Predictive Roles of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio for Severity of Disease in COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are inflammation markers in inflammatory, cardiovascular, and malignant diseases and are important to assess prognosis. The aim of the study is to show the correlation between the inflammation markers of NLR, LMR, and PLR identified in total blood count of patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with the disease severity. METHODS: A total of 409 patients attending hospital with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and with positive quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test were divided into two groups as 61 severe patients and 348 non-severe patients. The levels of inflammation markers NLR, LMR, PLR, and c-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age of 409 patients was 49.9 ± 18.3 years and 48.7% of all patients were female. In the severe patient group, NLR 8.94 ± 13.24, LMR 2.24 ± 1.46, and PLR 248 ± 254 were identified. NLR exhibited the largest area under the curve at 0.698, with the highest specificity (67%) and sensitivity (67.3%) among the other inflammation markers such as LMR and PLR. Consistent with the severity of disease in severe COVID-19 patients, NLR, PLR, CRP and other inflammation markers increase, while LMR is observed to reduce. CONCLUSIONS: NLR and PLR, calculated with the simple, cheap, and easily accessible hemogram test requested for diagnosis and follow-up of COVID-19 disease, were correlated with the total score for radiological findings and duration of hospitalization, and we observed NLR and LMR may predict disease severity.

COVID-19 seroconversion in the aircrew from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading rapidly all over the world and air travel is the leading transmission route of the virus among countries. The aim of the study is to determine the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in aircrew, to determine occupational exposure, and to understand the spread of immunity in social groups. METHOD: The study was designed as a cross-sectional retrospective study. SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured in patients who applied to between December 1, 2020 and January 13, 2021. Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity was investigated before December 1, 2020. RESULTS: The patients were divided into three groups according to their jobs such as 313 aircrew; 451 healthcare workers; 4258 other patients. The PCR positivity rate was found to be 39% in the aircrew group, 32% in the healthcare workers and %20 other patient group (p < 0.001). The IgG antibody positivity rate was 46% in the aircrew, 41% in healthcare workers, and 35.3% in the other patient group (p < 0.001).The group with the highest IgG antibody titer is in the aircrew; there was a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, it was observed that aircrew, similar to healthcare workers, are at serious risk against SARS-CoV-2. In this process, it is suggested that the vaccination processes included repeated doses of aircrew should be accelerated and protective measures and equipment should be increased in terms of reinfection.

Most notable 100 articles of COVID-19: an Altmetric study based on bibliometric analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to guide researchers in the COVID-19 pandemic by evaluating the 100 most cited articles of COVID-19 in terms of bibliometric analysis, Altmetric scores, and dimension badges. METHODS: "COVID-19" was entered as the search term in Thomson Reuter's Web of Science database. The 100 most cited articles (T100) were analyzed bibliometrically. Altmetric attention scores (AASs) and dimension badge scores of the articles were evaluated. RESULTS: T100 articles were published from January to September 2020. The average citation of the top 100 articles on COVID-19 was 320 ± 344.3 (143-2676). The language of all articles was English. The average Altmetric value of T100 is 3246 ± 3795 (85-16,548) and the mean dimension badge value was 670 ± 541.6 (176-4232). Epidemiological features (n = 22) and treatment (n = 21) were at the top of the main topics of T100 articles. CONCLUSION: The more citations an article is made, the more it indicates the contribution of that article to science. However, the number of citations is not always the only indicator of article quality. The existence of methods that measure the impact of the article outside the academia to measure the value of the article arises more in an issue that affects the whole world, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relationship between positivity for COVID-19 RT-PCR and symptoms, clinical findings, and mortality in Turkey.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the correlation between nucleic acid amplification test (real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR) positivity of patients presenting with suspected COVID-19 and pneumonic infiltration consistent with COVID-19-specific pneumonia diagnosis on thoracic computed tomography (CT), with symptoms, laboratory findings, and clinical progression.Methods: The study included 286 patients (female:male 131:155; mean age, 53.3 ± 17.9 years) who were divided into two groups according to their RT-PCR test results. The symptoms, laboratory examinations, clinical findings, and thoracic CT imaging of the patients were evaluated.Results: While the physical examination, comorbidities, and total CT scores were similar between the groups, taste/smell abnormalities were observed more frequently in the PCR-positive group. The use of moxifloxacin, lopinavir/ritonavir, and tocilizumab was higher in the PCR-positive group (p = 0.016, p < 0.001, and p = 0.002, respectively). The duration of hospitalization, intensive care requirement, and mortality rate of the studied groups did not differ between the groups.Conclusions: Among patients presenting with suspected COVID-19 and pneumonic infiltration consistent with COVID-19 on thoracic CT, the symptoms, physical examination, total CT scores, duration of hospitalization, intensive care requirement, and mortality rate were similar between RT-PCR-positive and RT-PCR-negative patients. However, PCR-positive patients appeared to require more specific treatments.