Methods & Materials:
This research was a case-control study that was performed in two
hospitals in Alborz Province of Iran. This study was approved by the
ethics committee of Alborz University of Medical Sciences with ethics
code IR.ABZUMS.REC 1398.267. Informed consent was taken from subjects
and the inclusion criteria were as follows: all patients with related
signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and compatible CT findings requiring
hospitalization according to National Guideline items
(RR>33 or O2 saturation<93) or
physician’s judgement. Exclusion criteria were inconclusive PCR results,
causes of pneumonia other than COVID-19, unclear or incomplete recorded
history of patients. Data were collected from the patient’s medical
findings and self-reports in determined categories.