Overview of COVID-19 patients treated in University Hospital Split, Croatia - specifics related to patients age

Abstract

Different aspects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection have been widely investigated since the onset of a pandemic in December 2019. Several studies investigated differences in disease development and presentation compared to patient characteristics. In this paper we present an overview of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in Dalmatia, Croatia with specifics related to patients’ age. Demographic, clinical and radiological data from hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients in the Clinical Hospital Split over a three-month period were collected and analyzed. Subgrouping and additional analysis were performed: Octogenarians vs Non-octogenarians, and senior residence vs nonsenior residence. 160 COVID-19 positive patients were enrolled. Of those, 61% were females. Median age was 78. More than a half of all patients were senior residents. No differences in final outcome were observed comparing specific medicament treatment. Among Octogenarians group, there were more asymptomatic cases, and higher mortality rate. Some differences in radiological presentation were also observed. Senior COVID-19 positive patients are more often asymptomatic but with higher mortality rates. More attention should be paid to early detection on COVID-19 infection in the senior population.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• senior patients
• clinical presentation
• mortality rate.