Table 1.
Baseline Clinical Characteristics of Patients With COVID-19 Who Received Zinc Sulfate Therapy vs Control Subjects
| Variable | Zinc Sulfate Group (n = 196) | Control Group (n = 46) |
|---|---|---|
| Demographic characteristics | ||
| Age, y | 65 (53-77) | 71 (58-84) |
| Female | 86 (43.9) | 18 (39.1) |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 28.8 (25.4-32.1) | 26.6 (22.2-29.4) |
| Clinical severitya | ||
| Mild | 40 (20.4) | 14 (30.4) |
| Severe | 106 (54.1) | 21 (45.7) |
| Critical | 50 (25.5) | 11 (23.9) |
| Comorbidities | ||
| None | 40 (20.4) | 8 (17.4) |
| Hypertension | 98 (50.0) | 29 (63.0) |
| Diabetes mellitus II | 68 (34.7) | 18 (39.1) |
| Cardiovascular disease | 33 (16.8) | 6 (13.0) |
| Hypercholesterolemia | 68 (34.7) | 15 (32.6) |
| Cancer | 8 (4.1) | 3 (6.5) |
| COPD | 15 (7.7) | 7 (15.2) |
| Chronic kidney disease | 19 (9.7) | 10 (21.7) |
| Asthma | 23 (11.7) | 5 (10.9) |
| Stroke | 5 (2.6) | 5 (10.9) |
| Clinical outcomes | ||
| Discharged to home | 75 (38.3) | 17 (37.0) |
| ICU admission | 58 (29.6) | 7 (15.2) |
| Mortality | 73 (37.2) | 21 (45.7) |
| Vital signs in the first 24 h of admission | ||
| Alert and oriented | 156 (79.6) | 34 (73.9) |
| Confused | 40 (20.4) | 12 (26.1) |
| Temperature, °C | 38.0 (37.3-38.9) | 37.4 (36.8-38.2) |
| Respiratory rate, breaths/min | 22.0 (20.0-26.0) | 20 (20.0-24.0) |
| Mean arterial pressure, mm Hg | 79.0 (72.0-89.0) | 78.5 (66.0-88.0) |
| Heart rate, beats/min | 105 (93.8-115.0) | 98 (88.0-111.5) |
| Spo2 on room air | 90.0 (84.0-94.0) | 92.0 (85.0-95.0) |
| Therapies received | ||
| Hydroxychloroquine | 191 (97.4) | 32 (69.6) |
| Antibacterial agents | 191 (97.4) | 44 (95.7) |
| Lopinavir/ritonavir | 114 (58.1) | 13 (28.3) |
| Systemic corticosteroids | 56 (28.6) | 6 (13.0) |
| IL-6 receptor inhibitor | 71 (36.2) | 9 (19.6) |
| Therapeutic anticoagulation | 38 (19.4) | 4 (8.7) |
Values are No. of patients (%) or median (interquartile range). Spo2 = oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry.
Clinical severity was stratified based on clinical, radiographic, and laboratory information from the first 24 h of admission. Patients with critical disease were those who developed ARDS, septic shock, or multiorgan failure, or those who required mechanical ventilation or ICU admission. Patients were classified as having severe disease if their Spo2 on room air was ≤ 93%, if they required oxygen supplementation, or if their respiratory rate was ≥ 30 breaths/min without meeting any of the criteria for critical disease. Hospitalized patients were classified as having mild disease if their Spo2 was ≥ 94% on room air or if they did not require oxygen supplementation, while not meeting any of the criteria for severe or critical disease.