COVID-19 Clinical Predictors in Patients Treated via a Telemedicine Platform in 2022

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, whose 2020 outbreak was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organiza-tion. Restriction measures changed healthcare delivery, with telehealth providing a viable alternative throughout the pandemic. This study analyzed a telemedicine platform data-base with the goal of developing a diagnostic prediction model for COVID-19 patients. This is a longitudinal study of patients seen on the Conexa Saúde telemedicine platform in 2022. A multiple binary logistic regression model of controls (negative confirmation for COVID-19, or confirmation of other flu-like syndromes) versus COVID-19 was developed to obtain an odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI). In the final binary logistic regression model, six factors were considered significant: presence of rhinorrhea, ocular symptoms, abdominal pain, rhinosinusopathy, and wheezing/asthma and bron-chospasm were more frequent in controls, thus indicating a greater chance of flu-like ill-nesses than COVID-19. The presence of tiredness and fatigue was 3 times more prevalent in COVID-19 cases (OR=3.631; CI=1.138 – 11.581; p-value=0.029). Our study identified in-dependent predictors that help differentiate between flu-like syndromes and COVID-19.