Table 2.
Symptoms and Examination Findings in Confirmed COVID-19 Encounters by Illness Stage
| Illness Stage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acute | Subacute | Convalescent | ||
| All Encounters | (<7 d) | (7–28 d) | (>28 d) | |
| (n = 127) | (n = 20) | (n = 74) | (n = 33) | |
| Symptom reported, No. (%) | ||||
| Fever | 42 (33.1) | 12 (60.0) | 20 (27.0) | 10 (30.3) |
| Chills | 31 (24.4) | 8 (40.0) | 17 (23.0) | 6 (18.2) |
| Body aches | 44 (34.6) | 12 (60.0) | 24 (32.4) | 8 (24.2) |
| Headache | 46 (36.2) | 9 (45.0) | 29 (39.2) | 8 (24.2) |
| Sore throat | 24 (18.9) | 5 (25.0) | 13 (17.6) | 6 (18.2) |
| Rhinorrhea | 9 (7.1) | 5 (25.0) | 3 (4.1) | 1 (3.0) |
| Sinus congestion | 43 (33.9) | 8 (40.0) | 25 (33.8) | 10 (30.3) |
| Cough | 95 (74.8) | 14 (70.0) | 59 (79.7) | 22 (66.7) |
| Dyspnea | 51 (40.2) | 4 (20.0) | 33 (44.6) | 14 (42.4) |
| Dyspnea on exertion | 83 (65.4) | 9 (45.0) | 52 (70.3) | 22 (66.7) |
| Chest tightness | 58 (45.7) | 8 (40.0) | 30 (40.5) | 20 (60.6) |
| Wheezing | 18 (14.2) | 3 (15.0) | 13 (17.6) | 2 (6.1) |
| Altered taste or smell | 50 (39.4) | 9 (45.0) | 33 (44.6) | 8 (24.2) |
| Diarrhea | 28 (22.0) | 6 (30.0) | 18 (24.3) | 4 (12.1) |
| Symptom character, No. (%) (n = 119)a | ||||
| New | 23 (19.3) | 9 (60.0) | 10 (14.1) | 4 (12.1) |
| Worse | 51 (42.9) | 5 (33.3) | 37 (52.1) | 9 (27.3) |
| Persistent | 45 (37.8) | 1 (6.7) | 24 (33.8) | 20 (60.6) |
| Lung auscultation, No. (%) (n = 116)a | ||||
| Normal | 101 (87.1) | 18 (100.0) | 57 (83.8) | 26 (86.7) |
| Abnormalb | 15 (12.9) | 0 (0.0) | 11 (16.2) | 4 (13.3) |
| Resting pulse oximetry, No. (%) (n = 109)a | ||||
| <92 | 4 (3.7) | 1 (6.7) | 3 (4.6) | 0 (0.0) |
| 92–94 | 8 (7.3) | 0 (0.0) | 5 (7.7) | 3 (10.3) |
| 95–99 | 97 (89.0) | 14 (93.3) | 57 (87.7) | 26 (89.7) |
| Chest radiograph, No. (%) (n = 64)a | ||||
| Normal | 44 (68.8) | 3 (42.9) | 28 (71.8) | 13 (72.2) |
| Infiltratesc | 20 (31.2) | 4 (57.1) | 11 (28.2) | 5 (27.8) |
| Secondary diagnoses, No. (%)d | ||||
| None | 67 (52.8) | 12 (60.0) | 43 (58.1) | 12 (36.4) |
| Asthma, COPD, reactive airway disease | 12 (9.4) | 0 (0) | 5 (6.8) | 7 (21.2) |
| Seasonal allergies | 7 (5.5) | 1 (5.0) | 2 (2.7) | 4 (12.1) |
| Sinusitis | 5 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 4 (5.4) | 1 (3.0) |
| Pneumonia (non-COVID-19) | 11 (8.7) | 2 (10.0) | 4 (5.4) | 5 (15.2) |
| Cardiac (heart failure or arrhythmia) | 4 (3.1) | 1 (5.0) | 2 (2.7) | 1 (3.0) |
| Hypovolemia | 4 (3.1) | 1 (5.0) | 3 (4.1) | 0 (0) |
| Rash or urticaria | 2 (1.6) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (3.0) |
| Anxiety | 8 (6.3) | 1 (5.0) | 4 (5.4) | 3 (9.1) |
| Othere | 12 (9.4) | 2 (10.0) | 6 (8.1) | 4 (12.1) |
| Encounter disposition, No. (%) | ||||
| Discharge home | 105 (82.7) | 17 (85.0) | 58 (78.4) | 30 (90.9) |
| Discharge to ER | 15 (11.8) | 3 (15.0) | 10 (13.5) | 2 (6.1) |
| Direct hospital admission | 7 (5.5) | 0 (0.0) | 6 (8.1) | 1 (3.0) |
Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; ER, emergency room.
aPercentages are of the patient encounters with known information.
bAbnormal findings included rales, rhonchi, and decreased air movement.
cIncludes 1 chest radiograph demonstrating pulmonary edema.
dEncounters may have more than 1 secondary diagnosis.
eOther diagnoses included gastrointestinal reflux disease (n = 2), medication side effects (n = 2), urinary tract infection, hiccups, pleurisy, bronchiectasis, otalgia, hepatitis, migraine, diabetes mellitus.