Clinical Profile and Demographic Features of COVID-19 Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Pakistan
Ghazala Farrukh, Shazia Sukhera, Fida Muhammad, Aneela Amjad, Qamar Zaman, Asma Ambreen
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ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing health challenge for both developed and developing countries worldwide. The epidemiological and clinical features of COVID-19 should be analyzed in our country. The current study aims to evaluate the demographic features and clinical profile of COVID-19 patients ina Tertiary Care Hospital of Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan.
Materials and Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 85 patients with positive real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) verified by nasopharyngeal swabs and throat at Covid 19 setup in Sheikh Zayed Hopsital, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan for period of six months i.e from September 2020 to February 2021. Institutional consensus protocol and COVID-19 SOPs were followed to investigate each individual. Various parameters such as symptom presentation, demographics’ details, ventilator therapy and oxygen required, and co-morbidities were studied.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 37.6±5.7 years with an age range of 15 to 81 years. Of the total 104 patients enrolled, 60 (58%)were male and 44 (42%). The prevalence of COVID-19 caused by contact was 67 (65%).Symptomatic patients out of enrolled were 49 (47.1%). In this study, a significant association was found between severe COVID-19 and parameters such ashypertension and diabetes history, and patients having age above 65 years. Out of104 COVID-19 positive patients, symptomatic complaints were as follows; Cough 29(27.9%), fever 63 (60.6%), and breathe shortness 12 (11.5%). Tachypnea (RR>24), hypoxia and comorbid illness were found 32 (31%), 27 (25.8%), and 45 (43.2%)respectively. About 19 (18.2%) patients needed intensive care unit admission with 5 (4.8%) required immediate ventilation assistance. Mortality was 3.8% (4 patients) observed in this study.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic mortalityrate is higher among patients above 60 years of age and with co-morbidities. TheCOVID-19 majority of patients presented in our hospital were of young or average age and asymptomatic. Respiratory symptoms were present in half and fever was recorded in more than half patients. Comorbidities patients were more venerableto the COVID_19 complications. Early admission and aggressive treatment must beprovided to COVID-19 patients to help reduce the mortality rate.
Keywords: COVID-19,Comorbidities, Hypoxia