Introduction:

COVID-19 presents asymptomatic and symptomatic clinical forms, both with similar frequency, but with clinical and epidemiological differences.

Objective:

To compare the clinical and epidemiological characteristics between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients of COVID-19.

Methods:

Comparative study of 91 COVID-19 positive patients, from March to July 2020. According to the clinical forms, two groups were created (asymptomatic and symptomatic). They were compared regarding age, sex, epidemiological and clinical antecedents, clinical manifestations and comorbidities.

Results:

Asymptomatic patients were younger (mean 37,2), but similar in gender. The source of infection, contact with a confirmed case (83,3 %) and the municipalities Holguín and Gibara prevailed. The basic reproductive number was similar. Being elderly (63,0 %) and a carrier of arterial hypertension (44,4 %) predominated in symptomatic cases, most of the asymptomatic did not have comorbidities (56,8 %). Fever, dry cough and extrapulmonary digestive and neurological manifestations prevailed as symptoms. Significant differences were found in age (p = 0,02) and risk factors: older adult (p = 0,00) and arterial hypertension (p = 0,00).

Conclusions:

There was similarity between the groups compared, except for age and risk factors: elderly and arterial hypertension.

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