there are six “types” of COVID-19. Which ones are more dangerous?

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Scientists have analyzed the data collected using the app COVID Symptom Study, which was used by about 1,600 British and Americans. It was created and curated by researchers from King’s College London. It turned out that there are likely to be six different “types” of COVID-19, each of which causes its own distinct group of symptoms.

In addition, the team found that the types differ in the severity of the disease and the need for respiratory support for patients during hospitalization. Accordingly, new data can help doctors choose the right treatment tactics for a particular patient showing certain symptoms. It will also be easier for doctors to predict which of the patients is at greatest risk and may need hospitalization during the second wave of coronavirus infection.

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Recall that the “classic” symptoms of COVID-19 are persistent cough, fever and loss of smell (anosmia). However, many people may also experience severe headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, and confusion. Some talk about the appearance of diarrhea and loss of appetite, shortness of breath and many other unusual symptoms.

The course and outcome of the disease also differ significantly from person to person: someone gets off asymptomatically, someone discovers a simple rash, some experience a condition similar to that which occurs when infected with the flu, while others have a very difficult disease and even lead to the death of a person.

The research team used a machine learning algorithm to analyze data from approximately 1,600 users in the United Kingdom and the United States with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. All of them regularly logged their symptoms with the app in March and April 2020.

The analysis identified six specific groups of symptoms that occur during characteristic periods of disease development. The algorithm was then tested on a second independent dataset from 1,000 users in the UK, USA and Sweden. They recorded their symptoms throughout May 2020.

As a result, scientists have identified six types of COVID-19:

• “Like the flu” without fever

Symptoms: headache, loss of smell, muscle aches, cough, sore throat, chest pain, no fever.

• “Like the flu” with a fever

Symptoms: headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, fever, loss of appetite.

• Gastrointestinal tract affected

Symptoms: headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, sore throat, chest pain, lack of cough.

• Severe current level 1 plus fatigue

Symptoms: headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness, chest pain, fatigue.

• Severe Course Level 2 Plus Confusion

Symptoms: headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain.

• Severe current level 3

Symptoms: headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, abdominal pain.

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Researchers from King’s College London also wanted to find out if people with certain symptom clusters needed mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen support.

Detailed results are described in preprintsthat appeared on the medRxiv website. We only note that the help of doctors was more needed by the “owners” of types 3-6. Also, almost half of those who were unlucky more than the rest (type 6) ended up in the hospital. For comparison: only 16% of patients with the first type were admitted to hospitals.

Typically, people with 4-6 symptoms of COVID-19 were older and weaker, more prone to being overweight, and had “co-morbid conditions” such as diabetes or lung disease.

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Another important achievement of the scientists: they developed a model that combines information about age, gender, body mass index and previous diagnoses, as well as symptoms collected in the first five days from the onset of the disease. She predicted what type of symptoms the patient would experience. In addition, the model predicted the risk that the person would need hospitalization and breathing support.

Today, most people who require breathing support arrive at the hospital about 13 days after the first symptoms appear. The extra eight days could have given the medics a head start and helped save many lives. If on the fifth day it becomes clear that this particular patient needs to monitor the level of oxygen and blood sugar more often, doctors will be able to take all the necessary measures in time.

“The ability to collect large datasets with an app and apply machine learning to them has a profound impact on our understanding of the magnitude and impact of COVID-19, and on human health in general,” explains lead author Sebastien Urcelin.Sebastien Ourselin), professor of health engineering at King’s College London.

Known to us according to numerous previous studies Professor Tim Spector (Tim Spector) adds:

“Data is our most powerful tool in the fight against COVID-19. We urge everyone to use the app on a daily basis to record their health in the coming months and [тем самым] help us know in advance about any local outbreaks or the arrival of a second wave of infection. “

Note that the scientific article by researchers from the UK is still a preprint. That is, it has not yet passed peer review (the data and conclusions have not been comprehensively verified by other experts).

Earlier News.Ru reported that the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutated and split into two types and what does he have vulnerability was found, as well as that from abroad you can bring a more aggressive form of coronavirus.

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