The Effect of Polymerase Chain Reaction Test Positivity and Negativity on COVID-19-Related Symptoms

Abstract

Objective: It was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of symptoms, chronic diseases, lung CT findings and blood parameters by dividing the patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 in our hospital into two groups as PCR (polymerase chain reaction) (+) and PCR (-) and to compare the two groups.Material and Methods: Between January 2021 and June 2021, 451 patients who were hospitalized in our hospital's COVID-19 service and met the study criteria were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups as PCR (+) and PCR (-) according to PCR results. Demographic data, chronic diseases, symptom prevalence, blood parameter results and lung CT findings of the patients were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Results: Contact history was significantly higher in the PCR (-) group than in the PCR (+) group (p= 0.021). The distribution of chronic diseases did not differ according to the groups (p> 0.05). Smell and taste disorders were significantly higher in the PCR (+) group than in the PCR (-) group (p= 0.019, p= 0.007). Fever and diarrhea were found to be significantly higher in patients younger than 65 years of age compared to those over 65 years of age (p< 0.001, p= 0.039).The most common lung CT finding was bilateral, peripheral, ground-glass appearance. Rates of lung findings did not differ according to the groups (p> 0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in blood parameters according to the groups (p> 0.05). Conclusion:In COVID-19 patients, smell and taste disorders are observed significantly higher in the PCR (+) group than in the PCR (-) group.