Warning indicators of COVID-19 severity: a retrospective observational study integrating modern biomarkers and traditional tongue features.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study aims to identify early warning indicators of COVID-19 severity by integrating modern medical biomarkers with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tongue features.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was conducted on 409 hospitalized COVID-19 patients from two centers in China. Patients were stratified into severe (n = 50) and non-severe (n = 359) groups based on the 10th edition of China's diagnostic guidelines. Data included demographics, clinical symptoms, tongue characteristics, and laboratory parameters. Univariate analyses (chi-square/Fisher's exact tests) and stepwise logistic regression were performed to identify key predictors.

Results

Age (p < 0.001), fever (p < 0.001), elevated procalcitonin (PCT, p</

SUBMITTER: Jing Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12037591 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature