The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery (Aug 2022)

Comorbidities and outcomes among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Upper Egypt

  • Eman M. Khedr,
  • Enas Daef,
  • Aliae Mohamed-Hussein,
  • Ehab F. Mostafa,
  • Mohamed Zein,
  • Sahar M. Hassany,
  • Hanan Galal,
  • Shimaa Abbas Hassan,
  • Islam Galal,
  • Amro A. Zarzour,
  • Hebatallah M. Hassan,
  • Mariam Taher Amin,
  • Maiada K. Hashem,
  • Khaled Osama,
  • Ayman Gamea

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-022-00530-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 58, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread rapidly around the globe with considerable morbidity and mortality. Coexistence of comorbidities with COVID-19 had consistently been reported as risk factors for unfavorable outcome. We aimed to evaluate the impact of comorbidities in COVID-19 patients on the outcome and determine predictors of prolonged hospital stay, requisite for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Four hundred and thirty-nine adult patients who are admitted through (June and July 2020) in our University Hospitals were included in the study. All participants were diagnosed with COVID-19 according to Egyptian Ministry of Health guidance as definite case or probable case. Results Patients with comorbidities represented 61.7% of all cases. Constitutional symptoms especially myalgia and lower respiratory tract (LRT) symptoms such as dyspnea were significantly higher in patients with comorbidities (P < 0.05). Patients with comorbidities had significantly worse laboratory parameters. ICU admission was higher in patients with comorbidities (35.8%). Among different comorbidities 45.4% of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) cases were admitted in ICU followed by diabetes mellitus (DM) cases (40.8%). Also, patients with comorbidities needed invasive mechanical ventilation more than those without comorbidity (31 versus 10.7%, P < 0.001). Significant lower frequency of recovery was found in COVID-19 patients with comorbidities (59% versus 81%, P < 0.001) and death rate was significantly higher in cases with comorbidities (P < 0.001). The survival rates in cases with pre-existing CVD and neurological diseases were lower than those without disease (P < 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Association of cardiovascular comorbid conditions including hypertension or neurological diseases including old cerebrovascular strokes together with COVID-19 infections carries higher risks of mortality. However, other comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, chronic pulmonary or kidney diseases may also contribute to increased COVID-19 severity.

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