tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMC Infect Dis
. 2024 Sep 2;24(1):907.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-09831-x. COVID-19 in the Tibet, China, the roof of the world: a comparative analysis of high-altitude residents and newcomers
Xiaosong Yan[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ying Shan[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Qiaoxia Luo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dongmei Liu[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yanfei Zhang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qiangrong Zhai[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Zhenxing Zhou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Weikai Wang[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Ba La[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jingting Yan[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Xiaoyao Zhu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Xinxin Wang[SUP] 3 6 [/SUP], Langjie Thuen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wei Chen[SUP] 3 6 [/SUP], Qian Li[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jian Zeng[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Gang Tian[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xiaoli Chen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qu Ci[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qidi Zhou[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Xin Jin[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Tashi Pingcuo[SUP] 10 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: After a 920-day hiatus, COVID-19 resurged in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in August 2022. This study compares the characteristics of COVID-19 between high-altitude residents and newcomers, as well as between newcomers and lowlanders.
Methods: This multi-center cohort study conducted at the Third People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region and Beijing University Shenzhen Hospital, included 520 high-altitude resident patients, 53 high-altitude newcomer patients, and 265 lowlander patients infected with the Omicron variant. Initially, we documented epidemiological, clinical, and treatment data across varying residency at admission. We compared the severity of COVID-19 and various laboratory indicators, including hemoglobin concentration and SpO2%, over a 14-day period from the date of the first positive nucleic acid test, as well as the differences in treatment methods and disease outcomes between highlanders and high-altitude newcomers. We also compared several characteristics of COVID-19 between high-altitude newcomers and lowlanders. Univariate analysis, multivariable logistic regression, and the generalized linear mixed model were utilized for the analysis.
Results: No fatalities were observed. The study found no significant differences in COVID-19 severity or in the physiological measures of hemoglobin concentration and SpO[SUB]2[/SUB]% between high-altitude and lowland residents. Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences in the values or trends of hemoglobin and SpO[SUB]2[/SUB]% between high-altitude residents and newcomers throughout the 14-day observation period. However, compared to age- and sex-matched lowlander patients (1:5 ratio), high-altitude newcomers exhibited higher heart rates, respiratory rates, and average hemoglobin concentrations, along with lower platelet counts. There were no significant differences in hospital stays between the two groups.
Conclusions: High-altitude residents and newcomer patients exhibit clinical similarities. However, the clinical characteristics of high-altitude newcomers and lowlander patients differ due to the impact of the high-altitude environment. These results highlight potential considerations for public health strategies in high-altitude regions such as Tibet.
Keywords: COVID-19; High-altitude residents; Newcomers; Tibet.
. 2024 Sep 2;24(1):907.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-09831-x. COVID-19 in the Tibet, China, the roof of the world: a comparative analysis of high-altitude residents and newcomers
Xiaosong Yan[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ying Shan[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Qiaoxia Luo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Dongmei Liu[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yanfei Zhang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qiangrong Zhai[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Zhenxing Zhou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Weikai Wang[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Ba La[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jingting Yan[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Xiaoyao Zhu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Xinxin Wang[SUP] 3 6 [/SUP], Langjie Thuen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wei Chen[SUP] 3 6 [/SUP], Qian Li[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jian Zeng[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Gang Tian[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Xiaoli Chen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qu Ci[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Qidi Zhou[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Xin Jin[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Tashi Pingcuo[SUP] 10 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 39223453
- DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09831-x
Background: After a 920-day hiatus, COVID-19 resurged in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in August 2022. This study compares the characteristics of COVID-19 between high-altitude residents and newcomers, as well as between newcomers and lowlanders.
Methods: This multi-center cohort study conducted at the Third People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region and Beijing University Shenzhen Hospital, included 520 high-altitude resident patients, 53 high-altitude newcomer patients, and 265 lowlander patients infected with the Omicron variant. Initially, we documented epidemiological, clinical, and treatment data across varying residency at admission. We compared the severity of COVID-19 and various laboratory indicators, including hemoglobin concentration and SpO2%, over a 14-day period from the date of the first positive nucleic acid test, as well as the differences in treatment methods and disease outcomes between highlanders and high-altitude newcomers. We also compared several characteristics of COVID-19 between high-altitude newcomers and lowlanders. Univariate analysis, multivariable logistic regression, and the generalized linear mixed model were utilized for the analysis.
Results: No fatalities were observed. The study found no significant differences in COVID-19 severity or in the physiological measures of hemoglobin concentration and SpO[SUB]2[/SUB]% between high-altitude and lowland residents. Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences in the values or trends of hemoglobin and SpO[SUB]2[/SUB]% between high-altitude residents and newcomers throughout the 14-day observation period. However, compared to age- and sex-matched lowlander patients (1:5 ratio), high-altitude newcomers exhibited higher heart rates, respiratory rates, and average hemoglobin concentrations, along with lower platelet counts. There were no significant differences in hospital stays between the two groups.
Conclusions: High-altitude residents and newcomer patients exhibit clinical similarities. However, the clinical characteristics of high-altitude newcomers and lowlander patients differ due to the impact of the high-altitude environment. These results highlight potential considerations for public health strategies in high-altitude regions such as Tibet.
Keywords: COVID-19; High-altitude residents; Newcomers; Tibet.