Infection and Drug Resistance (Jun 2022)

Association of Pre-Existing Comorbidities with Disease Severity Among COVID-19 Patients in Eastern Ethiopia

  • Merga BT,
  • Ayana GM,
  • Raru TB,
  • Alemu A,
  • Negash B,
  • Bekana M,
  • Birhanu A,
  • Dessie Y

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 15
pp. 2825 – 2834

Abstract

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Bedasa Taye Merga,1 Galana Mamo Ayana,1 Temam Beshir Raru,1 Addisu Alemu,1 Belay Negash,1 Miressa Bekana,2 Abdi Birhanu,2 Yadeta Dessie1 1School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia; 2School of Medicine, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Bedasa Taye Merga; Galana Mamo Ayana, School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, P.O.Box.: 235, Harar, Oromia, Ethiopia, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Comorbidities and advanced age increase the risk of severe outcomes of COVID-19. In order to shift the possible unfavorable treatment outcome in patients with chronic illnesses, information related to the prevalence of chronic illness and its effect on severity of COVID-19 infection has paramount importance.Objective: This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of comorbidities and associated severity among COVID-19 patients admitted to COVID-19 treatment center, eastern Ethiopia.Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 422 COVID-19 patients admitted to COVID-19 treatment center, eastern Ethiopia from April 10, 2020, to August 10, 2021. Binary logistic regression was fitted to identify comorbidities and other factors associated with severe clinical outcome, associations were presented with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In all analyses statistical significance were declared at p-value < 0.05.Results: More than half (52.4%) of the COVID-19 patients were presented with comorbid conditions. One third (34.6%) of the admitted COVID-19 patients were in severe clinical stages. Marital status (AOR=4.56; 95% CI: 1.40, 14.76), hypertension (AOR=2.08; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.97), diabetes mellitus (AOR=3.31; 95%:1.84, 5.98), and cardiovascular diseases (AOR=4.22; 95% CI: 2.18, 8.15) were identified as factors associated with severe clinical stages.Conclusion: The comorbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, and marital status were identified as significant predictors of severe outcomes of COVID-19. Therefore, identifying the people with chronic comorbidities as a risk group would help to anticipate and prevent the serious outcomes of COVID-19 infection.Keywords: COVID-19, coronavirus, comorbidities, severe clinical stages, Ethiopia

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