Effect of SARS-CoV-2 Variants on the Progression of COVID-19 Disease: A Retrospective Analysis From a Pandemic Hospital

Objective: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an agent of the pandemic coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). New variants that have emerged throughout these pandemic presented new challenges and made the disease control process even more difficult. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of variants on the progression of COVID-19 and add value to the medical literature by providing valuable information.
Material and Methods: The current study was designed as a retrospective and single-center study. Three thousand and a hundred and ninety-three patients whose SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction tests came positive between June 1, 2020, and June 1, 2021, were included in the study. Demographic data and the medical history of patients were collected and recorded. The statistical significance level sought was p<0.05.
Results: Fifty percent of the cases were male and the mean age was 39.5 years. Among the variant types, the lowest median age was observed in the beta variant. Alpha is the most contagious SARS-CoV-2 variant, and the highest mortality was seen in the delta variant. Considering all SARS-CoV-2 variants, the most common patient complaints were dyspnea and fever. In fatal cases, blood pressure and saturation levels were low, whereas pulse rate and body temperature was higher. Additionally, compared to the non-fatal cases, the median age was higher in fatal cases, 39 years to 55 years. Most of the fatalities occurred in patients who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The mortality was low in people with double-dose vaccination, regardless of the variant types.
Conclusion: In this study, SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant was found to be more contagious, and the delta variant appeared more fatal. Patients with delta variant could be at a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, meticulous patient care should be delivered to patients with the delta variants, no history of the double-dose of vaccination, patients with unstable vital parameters, and patients who were admitted to the ICU.

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, variants, pandemic, mutation