2.1. Patient data and selection
The open-accessed dataset used in the current research from a cross-sectional study (6) includes the demographic and symptomatological characteristics of 223 COVID-19 patients treated at the Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital of the University of Health Sciences between March 10 and April 21, 2020 (7). The public dataset can be achieved from the web address ofhttp://dx.doi.org/10.17632/w9tjhj8jy6.1. From the beginning to the diagnosis of general and otolaryngologic symptoms of COVID-19, prevalence, seriousness, length, and time were determined. The SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in all patients included in this dataset in the swab specimens. The dataset encapsulates general patient characteristics (age, gender, and comorbidity), hospitalization status, dates, and swab specimen collection results, computerized tomography results, and drugs used for COVID-19. Five otorhinolaryngologists and two infectious diseases specialists performed the surveys. All the patients involved in the study gave informed consent. Detailed records of the patients (113 males, 110 females) who had SARS-CoV-2 RNA found in their nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab specimens by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were examined in the current study. During the study period, all patients suspected of having COVID-19 were treated in compliance with the Turkish Ministry of Health Study Board’s interim guidelines. After a brief training following real interim instructions, resident or attending doctors obtained nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs. Specimens were tested in the General Directorate of Public Health Microbiology Reference Laboratory for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA via Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (RT-PCR and nucleic acid sequence analysis if necessary). Detailed information on the research design and protocol can be obtained from the related study (6). The attributes considered in the present work are summarized in Table 1.