This research was conducted on 121 patients with an average age of 53.31 ± 14.09, of whom, 51.4% were women and the majority (52.1%) were unemployed. Other demographic characteristics are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. The demographic characteristics of the Covid-19 patients participating in the study
Results of independent t-test and chi-square showed that there was no statistically significant difference between male and female patients in terms of marital status, educational attainment, history of neuropsychiatric disease, history of taking neuropsychiatric drugs, and history of suicide attempts (p > 0.05). A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups only in terms of occupation (p < 0.0001). Also, regarding interleukin-1 and − 6 variables, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two sexes (p > 0.05) (Table 2).
Table 2. Demographic characteristics of the Covid-19 patients included in the study according to their gender
P
|
Female
(n=60)
|
Male
(n=60)
|
Variable
|
0.581*
|
54.03 ±15.53
|
52.61 ±12.60
|
Age: Mean ± SD
|
0.15**
|
|
|
Marital status: Frequency (%)
|
|
0 (0)
|
2(3.3)
|
Single
|
|
52 (85.2)
|
44 (73.3)
|
Married
|
|
9 (14.8)
|
14 (23.3)
|
Divorced/Widow
|
>0.0001**
|
|
|
Occupation
|
|
52 (85.2)
|
11 (18.3)
|
Unemployed
|
|
3 (4.9)
|
17 (28.3)
|
Pensioner
|
|
2 (3.3)
|
23 (38.3)
|
Self-employed
|
|
3 (4.9)
|
0 (0)
|
Teacher
|
|
1 (1.6)
|
9 (15)
|
Office worker
|
0.12**
|
|
|
Educational attainment
|
|
17 (27.9)
|
9 (15)
|
Illiterate
|
|
15 (24.6)
|
26 (43.3)
|
No high school diploma
|
|
13 (21.3)
|
12 (20)
|
High school diploma
|
|
16 (26.2)
|
13 (21.7)
|
University degree
|
0.61**
|
|
|
History of neurological disease
|
|
3 (4.9)
|
1 (1.7)
|
Yes
|
|
58 (95.1)
|
59 (98.3)
|
No
|
0.65**
|
|
|
History of taking neuropsychiatric drugs
|
|
11 (18)
|
13 (21.3)
|
Yes
|
|
50 (82)
|
47 (78.3)
|
No
|
0.49**
|
|
|
History of suicide attempts
|
|
2 (3.3)
|
0 (0)
|
Yes
|
|
59 (96.7)
|
60 (100)
|
No
|
0.120**
|
|
|
Level of Interleukin 1
|
|
19.03 ±19.43
|
23 ±28.11
|
Mean ± SD
|
0.124**
|
|
|
Level of Interleukin 6
|
|
|
|
Mean ± SD
|
|
143.77 ±170.12
|
180.25 ±204.81
|
|
* Independent t-test
**Chi-square
The results showed that the mean and standard deviation of the patients' temperature on the first, third, and fifth days was 37.94 ± 0.88, 37.57 ± 0.66, and 37.28 ± 0.48, respectively which showed a significant difference between the days based on repeated measure analysis (p < 0.0001). The mean and standard deviation of the percentage of oxygen saturation in patients on the first, third, and fifth days was 92.36 ± 2.73, 92.76 ± 3.40, and 93.08 ± 3.77, respectively which showed a significant difference between the days based on repeated measure analysis (p < 0.0001). According to the results of chi-square test, the rate of shortness of breath on the first, third, and fifth days was 90.1%, 54.5%, and 32.2%, respectively which showed a downward trend and a statistically significant difference between the three days (p < 0.0001). The rate of coughing on the first, third, and fifth days was 76.9%, 67.8%, and 50.4%, respectively which showed a downward trend and a statistically significant difference between the three days (p < 0.0001). As far as weakness and lethargy were concerned, their rate was 97.5%, 97.5%, and 96.7% on the first, third, and fifth days, respectively which showed a downward trend but no statistically significant difference (p = 0.368) (Table 3).
Table 3. Statistical indicators of physical problems (i.e., body temperature, percentage of blood oxygen saturation, shortness of breath, coughing, and weakness and lethargy) in patients with Covid-19
The results showed that the mean and standard deviation of interleukin 1 level in the studied patients was 21.007 ± 12.24. Pearson's correlation test showed that there was a direct and statistically significant correlation between body temperature on the first day and interleukin 1 level (r = 0.186, p = 0.041). However, no such correlation was observed between body temperature on the third (r = 0.130, p = 155 p = 0.0) and fifth days (r = 0.070, p = 0.447) and interleukin 1 level. A negative and statistically significant correlation was observed between blood oxygen saturation level and level of interleukin-1 on the first (r=-0.214, p = 0.018), third (r=-0.285, p = 0.002) and fifth days (r=-0.236), p = 0.009). According to the results of the paired t-test, shortness of breath and coughing on the third and fifth days were significantly correlated with the level of interleukin 1 (p < 0.05) (Table 4).
Table 4. The relationship between physical problems (body temperature, blood oxygen saturation level, shortness of breath, coughing, weakness, and lethargy) and interleukin 1 level in patients with Covid-19.
According to the results of the Pearson correlation coefficient test, a direct and statistically significant correlation was observed between body temperature on the first (r = 0.339, p < 0.0001), third (r = 0.336, p < 0.0001) and fifth days (r = 0.244, p < 0.007) p = 0) and interleukin 6 level. Also, a negative and statistically significant correlation was observed between the percentage of blood oxygen saturation level on the first (r=-0.472, p < 0.0001), third (r=-0.598, p < 0.0001) and fifth days (r=-0.511, p < 0.0001) and interleukin 6 level. Coughing on the third and fifth days had a statistically significant relationship with the level of interleukin 6 (p < 0.05). According to the results of the paired t-test, coughing on the third and fifth days had a statistically significant correlation with the level of interleukin 6 (p < 0.05) (Table 5).
Table 5. The correlation between physical problems (body temperature, blood oxygen saturation level, shortness of breath, coughing, weakness, and lethargy) and interleukin-6 level in Covid-19 patients
The results of the generalized estimating equations showed that with the increase in interleukin-1 (after adjusting for age and gender), the percentage of oxygen saturation decreases significantly (p = 0.014). Also, with the increase in interleukin-1 (after adjusting for age and gender), body temperature, shortness of breath, coughing, and weakness increase non-significantly (p < 0.05). The results of the generalized estimating equations showed that with the increase in interleukin 6 (after adjustment of age and gender), the percentage of oxygen saturation decreases significantly (p < 0.0001). The results also showed that with the increase in interleukin 6 (after adjusting for age and gender), temperature (p < 0.0001), shortness of breath (p < 0.0001) and coughing increase significantly (p = 0.023). Also, with the increase in interleukin-1 (with adjustment of age and gender), the rate of weakness and lethargy increases non-significantly (p = 0.971) (Table 6).
The results of the generalized estimation equations showed that with the increase of interleukin 1, psychological problems (depression, anxiety, and stress) increase. Meanwhile, the increase in anxiety is statistically significant (p = 0.037). The results showed that with the increase of interleukin-6, psychological problems (depression, anxiety, and stress) increase significantly (p < 0.05) (Table 7).