Table 1.
Demographics and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients according to baseline NLR quartiles.
| Variable | Overall (0–84) N = 601 |
Q1 (0–2.57) N = 141 |
Q2 (2.58–4.44) N = 155 |
Q3 (4.45–7.48) N = 151 |
Q4 (7.49–84) N = 154 |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic | ||||||
| Age | 70 (58–80) | 63 (53–80) | 71 (57–79) | 70 (60–79) | 72 (61–80) | 0.013 |
| Male n (%) | 393 (65.4) | 76 (53.9) | 101 (65.1) | 101 (66.9) | 115 (74.7) | 0.003 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.8 (20.9–26.9) | 24.2 (22.4–27.4) | 23.9 (21.0–26.9) | 23.0 (20.1–26.8) | 22.8 (20.6–26.47) | 0.218 |
| Comorbidity | ||||||
| Hypertension n (%) | 445 (74.0) | 106 (75.1) | 112 (72.2) | 118 (78.1) | 109 (70.8) | 0.470 |
| Diabetes mellitus n (%) | 230 (38.3) | 38 (26.9) | 59 (38.1) | 63 (41.7) | 70 (45.4) | 0.008 |
| Dyslipidemia n (%) | 233 (38.7) | 49 (34.7) | 72 (46.4) | 56 (37.1) | 56 (36.3) | 0.146 |
| Heart failure n (%) | 56 (9.3) | 8 (5.6) | 16 (10.3) | 14 (9.2) | 18 (11.6) | 0.330 |
| CHD n (%) | 64 (10.6) | 15 (10.6) | 15 (9.6) | 15 (9.9) | 19 (12.3) | 0.874 |
| OMI n (%) | 27 (4.5) | 3 (2.1) | 3 (1.9) | 12 (7.9) | 9 (5.8) | 0.028 |
| AF n (%) | 56 (9.3) | 10 (7.0) | 16 (10.3) | 14 (9.2) | 16 (10.4) | 0.748 |
| COPD n (%) | 33 (5.5) | 5 (3.5) | 8 (5.2) | 8 (5.3) | 12 (7.8) | 0.450 |
| CKD n (%) | 45 (7.5) | 4 (2.8) | 12 (7.7) | 16 (10.6) | 13 (8.4) | 0.081 |
| Symptom | ||||||
| Maximum body temperature (Celsius) | 38.0 (37.6–38.6) | 38.0 (37.2–38.5) | 38.0 (37.6–38.6) | 38.0 (37.6–38.6) | 38.2 (37.8–39.0) | 0.002 |
| Cough n (%) | 292 (48.6) | 67 (47.5) | 77 (49.6) | 70 (46.3) | 78 (42.7) | 0.872 |
| Sputum production n (%) | 113 (18.8) | 27 (19.1) | 31 (20.0) | 26 (17.2) | 29 (18.8) | 0.939 |
| Sore throat n (%) | 64 (10.6) | 19 (13.4) | 16 (10.3) | 14 (9.2) | 15 (9.7) | 0.651 |
| Nasal obstruction n (%) | 27 (4.5) | 8 (5.6) | 8 (5.1) | 6 (4.0) | 5 (3.2) | 0.735 |
| Myalgia n (%) | 9 (0.5) | 2 (1.4) | 1 (0.6) | 2 (1.3) | 4 (2.6) | 0.559 |
| Fatigue n (%) | 203 (33.8) | 43 (30.5) | 50 (32.2) | 56 (37.1) | 54 (35.1) | 0.638 |
| Gastrointestinal symptoms n (%) | 85 (14.1) | 15 (10.6) | 22 (14.2) | 27 (17.9) | 21 (13.6) | 0.362 |
| Headache n (%) | 49 (8.1) | 15 (10.6) | 10 (6.4) | 12 (7.9) | 12 (7.8) | 0.615 |
| Shortness of breath / Dyspnea n (%) | 203 (33.8) | 32 (22.7) | 40 (25.8) | 60 (39.7) | 71 (46.1) | < 0.001 |
| Treatment | ||||||
| Antiviral drug n (%) | 329 (54.7) | 38 (27.0) | 84 (54.2) | 96 (63.6) | 111 (72.1) | < 0.001 |
| Ciclesonide n (%) | 154 (25.7) | 27 (19.1) | 34 (22.1) | 38 (25.2) | 55 (35.7) | 0.006 |
| Hydroxychloroquine n (%) | 35 (5.8) | 6 (4.2) | 9 (5.8) | 8 (5.3) | 12 (7.8) | 0.615 |
| Tocilizumab n (%) | 17 (2.8) | 1 (0.7) | 3 (1.9) | 6 (4.0) | 7 (4.5) | 0.164 |
| Steroids n (%) | 228 (38) | 31 (22.0) | 54 (35.1) | 50 (33.1) | 93 (60.4) | < 0.001 |
| Outcome | ||||||
| Days of hospitalization | 17 (11–27) | 15 (10–22) | 17 (11–27.5) | 18 (12–28) | 20 (12–31.5) | 0.013 |
| The need for mechanical ventilation n (%) | 139 (23.1) | 9 (6.4) | 25 (16.1) | 42 (27.8) | 63 (40.9) | < 0.001 |
| In-hospital death n (%) | 98 (16.3) | 9 (6.3) | 17 (11.0) | 31 (20.5) | 41 (26.6) | < 0.001 |
Data are shown as percent for categorical and as median (IQR) for continuous variables.
CHD coronary heart disease, OMI old myocardial infarction, AF atrial fibrillation, BMI body mass index, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CKD chronic kidney disease.