Study population
cough, infection, HIV, cancer, fever
INFECTION, LIVER DISEASES, DISEASES
The study participants were patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to Baqiyatallah Al-Azam hospital in Tehran, Iran, from September 20, 2021, to January 19, 2022. Patients of both sexes aged 20–70 years who were diagnosed with COVID-19 were enrolled in this study. Diagnosis with COVID-19 was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), clinical chest tomography (CT scan), decreased oxygen saturation capacity to less than 93%, decreased systolic blood pressure to less than 100 mmHg, or a drop of more than 30 mmHg from its previous value, fever, cough, and increased blood levels of CRP or ESR, which showed infection with COVID-19. People on special diets, pregnant or lactating women, and patients with special diseases (HIV, cancer, patients undergoing chemotherapy, immunized patients, patients in need of hospitalization in the intensive care unit, and patients with uncontrolled heart, kidney, and liver diseases) were not eligible to participate in the study. Participants were excluded if they refused to continue the study or if their illnesses worsened. The study protocol was approved by the ethics scientific committee of the University of Baqiyatallah (ethical code number: IR.BMSU.REC.1399.149), and all participants filled in an informed consent form before participating in the study.