title: Patient characteristics infected with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in a tertiary hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In April 2014, a surge in cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was seen in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study is to describe the demographic and clinical features, laboratory and radiological findings of MERS-CoV patients identified during this outbreak in a single tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  All laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases who presented to King Faisal Specialist Hospital from March 1, 2014, to May 30, 2014, were identified. Patients' charts were reviewed for demographic information, comorbidities, clinical presentations, and outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 39 patients with confirmed MERS-CoV infection were identified. Twenty-one were male (54%), aged 40 ± 19 years and included 3 (8%) pediatric patients (<18-year-old). 16 (41%) patients were health care workers. Twenty-one (53%) patients were previously healthy whereas eighteen (47%) had at least one comorbidity. The predominant comorbidities included hypertension (31%), diabetes (26%), respiratory (23%), and renal disease (18%). Thirty patients (81%) were symptomatic at presentation, fever (69%) being the most common complaint. The overall mortality rate was 28%. In univariate analysis, older age, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease were associated with mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MERS-CoV presentation varies from asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory disease causing death. Future studies to identify the risk factors for worse outcome are needed.
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Basem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alraddadi
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Noha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bawareth
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Haneen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hanadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alsalmi
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abeer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alshukairi
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Qushmaq
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Maun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feteih
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qutob
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wali
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khalid
keywords: Characteristics; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; patient