Clinical and prognostic evaluation of patients admitted to the COVID-19 pandemic unit of the emergency department

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate to prognosis of patients admitted to the COVID-19 isolation unit of the emergency department and present epidemiological data by examining their demographic, clinical, laboratory and lung tomography findings. Material and Method: A total of 504 patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms were randomly and retrospectively evaluated based on electronic records obtained from the hospital archive. Results: Of the patients, 216 (42.9%) were female and 288 (57%) were male. The RT-PCR test was positive in 291 (57.7%) patients, and fever was the most common symptom in 280 (55.5%). A total of 133 patients (26.4%) were admitted to the inpatient ward. The WBC, Troponin-t, CRP, AST, ALT, LDH, D-dimer and ferritin levels were high and lymphocyte count was low in patients who were hospitalized. Sixty-one percent of the patients had a comorbid condition; 19% of had diabetes and 18.8% had hypertension as the most common underlying condition. Totally, 312 (61.9%) had favipiravir, 106 (21%) were favipiravir + hydroxychloroquine, 60 (11.9%) used hydroxychloroquine alone, 26 (5.2%) were followed up without treatment and to 147 of them, antibiotics were prescribed in addition to the medicine; 38.5% of the patients followed up in the intensive care unit were diabetic; 26 patients (5.2%) were followed up in the intensive care unit. The mortality rate was found to be 1.9%. At least one comorbid condition was present in all who were hospitalized and died in the intensive care unit. Conclusion: The importance of a healthy diet and regular physical activity for metabolic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension as well as for fighting infections is well known. We consider that the mortality and morbidity rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic can be reduced by developing reliable and safe antiviral treatment options and implementing effective and fair vaccination policies.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Epidemiology
• Prognosis

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