Table 1.
Summarizes frequency of signs and symptoms by means of median and interquartile range (IQR) recorded for COVID-19 patients for studies included in the review
| Organ system | Symptom | Frequency (%) | Studies reported | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | IQR | |||
| Cerebrovascular | Headache | 8.2% | 7.1–16.0 | 7 |
| Confusion | 9.1% | – | 1 | |
| Dizziness | 9.4% | – | 1 | |
| Eye* | – | – | – | 0 |
| Ear, Nose, Throat | Nasal Congestion/ Rhinorhea | 16.7% | 6.9–61.5 | 4 |
| Sore throat | 11.1% | 5.9–16.5 | 4 | |
| Sputum Production | 30.2% | 10.0–39.7 | 4 | |
| Tonsil swelling | 2.0% | |||
| Chest/Pulmonary | Cough | 71.4% | 46.7–73.1 | 12 |
| Shortness of breath | 36.7% | 19.0–56.5 | 11 | |
| Hemoptysis | 4.9% | 1.0–5.1 | 4 | |
| Chest pain | 2.0% | – | 1 | |
| Chest distress | 23.8% | – | 1 | |
| Gastrointestinal | Loss of appetite | 39.9% | 12.2–49.5 | 3 |
| Nausea/ Vomiting | 12.7% | 4.0–19.5 | 6 | |
| Diarrhea | 8.0% | 3.2–11.8 | 10 | |
| Abdominal pain | 4.4% | 4.3–5.8 | 3 | |
| Musculoskeletal | Fatigue | 66.9% | 49.9–73.6 | 4 |
| Myalgia/Arthralgia | 23.1% | 14.6–33.5 | 9 | |
| Dermatological | Rash | 0.2% | 1 | |
| *Eye | None of the original searches contained data on ocular signs and symptoms. A cohort [57], however, focused on ocular signs and symptoms revealed: eye pain (19.4%), photophobia (13.9%), flashes or floaters (11.8%), blurring of vision (11.1%), and eye redness (10.4%) | |||
| Disease severity classification | Features (as per CDC guidelines) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asymptomatic/presymptomatic | Patients who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 but have no symptoms suggestive for SARS-cov-2 infection | |||
| Mild Illness | Patients having any of the various signs or symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection but do not have shortness of breath, dyspnea or abnormal chest imaging | |||
| Moderate Illness | Individuals who show signs of lower respiratory disease on clinical assessment or imaging and have an oxygen saturation (SpO2) of ≥ 94% on room air at sea level | |||
| Severe Illness | Individuals with SpO2 < 94% on room air at sea level, a ratio of arterial partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) < 300 mm Hg, respiratory frequency > 30 breaths/min, or lung infiltrates > 50% | |||
| Critical Illness | Individuals having respiratory failure, septic shock, and/or multiple organ dysfunction |
The most common manifestation was cough, followed by fatigue. Shortness of breath, chest distress and chest pain were most prevalent among cases exhibiting severe symptoms. There were no ocular symptoms recorded for any of the studies included in this review