COVID-19 symptom clusters and their risk

July 28, 2020

Researchers identify six symptom clusters associated with the coronavirus

With some of the first research studies of the coronavirus starting to appear in clinical publications, more information on symptoms and their level of severity are becoming clear.

Specifically, researchers from King's College in London recently concluded and published their examination of COVID-19 patients and determined the coronavirus presents in six specific "˜symptom clusters.'

Symptom clusters are groups of symptoms (two or more) that are related, occur together and likely have a common cause.

Additionally, the study has associated each symptom cluster with a risk of that case becoming severe, expressed as a percentage chance of the patient ultimately requiring breathing support (though not necessarily a ventilator).

Doctors and researchers undertook the study as an effort to predict with a greater degree of accuracy the level and type of care a patient will need.

The six symptom clusters identified by the King's College study (along with that cluster's percentage of risk) are:

"˜Flu-like' with no fever

(1.5 percent)

Headache, loss of smell, muscle pains, cough, sore throat, chest pain, no fever

"˜Flu-like' with fever

(4.4 percent)

Headache, loss of smell, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, fever, loss of appetite

Gastrointestinal

(3.3 percent)

Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, sore throat, chest pain, no cough

Severe level one, fatigue

(8.6 percent)

Headache, loss of smell, cough, fever, hoarseness, chest pain, fatigue

Severe level two, confusion

(9.9 percent)

Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain

Severe level three, abdominal and respiratory

(19.8 percent)

Headache, loss of smell, loss of appetite, cough, fever, hoarseness, sore throat, chest pain, fatigue, confusion, muscle pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, abdominal pain