Clinical Characteristics, Outcomes and Prognostic Factors for Critical Illness in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background A good understanding of the possible risk factors for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) severity could help clinicians in identifying patients who need prioritized treatment to prevent disease progression and adverse outcome. In the present study, we aimed to correlate clinical and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients to disease outcome in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods The present study included 199 COVID-19 patients admitted to King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Buraydah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia, from April to December 2020. Patients were followed-up until discharge either for recovery or death. Demographic data, clinical data and laboratory results were retrieved from electronic patient records. Results Critical COVID-19 cases showed higher mean of age and higher prevalence of co-morbid conditions. Fifty-five patients died during the observation period. Risk factors for in hospital death for COVID 19 patients were leukocytosis (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.008–3.548, p = 0.081), lymphocytopenia (OR 2.152, 95% CI 1.079–4.295, p = 0.020), neutrophilia (OR 1.839, 95% CI 0.951–3.55, p = 0.047), thrombocytopenia (OR 2.152, 95% CI 0.852–5.430, p = 0.085), liver injury (OR 2.689, 95% CI 1.373–4.944, p = 0.003), acute kidney injury (OR 1.248, 95% CI 0.631–2.467 p = 0.319), pancreatic injury (OR 1.973, 95% CI 0.939–4.144, p = 0.056) and high D dimer (OR 2.635, 95% CI 0.747–9.287, p = 0.091). Conclusion Clinical and laboratory data of COVID-19 patients may help understanding the pathogenesis of the disease and subsequently improve of the outcome of patients by determination of the associated risk factors and recognition of high risk group who are more liable for complications and in hospital death. The present study put an eye on some parameters (laboratory and clinical) that should be alarming signs that the patient is at high risk bad prognosis.

Trends in hospitalization and mortality in COVID-19 admitted patients after a single dose of vaccine

“…In both groups, 102 patients (29.3%) needed ventilatory support. It is similar to another Asian study in Saudi Arabia, with 60 (30.2%) patients by EL-Kady et al, 14 and 17.5% in a study by Alguwaihes et al 4 In our study, 15 out of 102 (14.7%), ICU admissions were hypertensives, whereas a heightened number of hypertensive ICU admissions in Italy (49%) and in Sweden (34%) were present according to European center for disease prevention and control (ECDC). 15 In our study, 21 out of 102 (20.5%) were diabetic ICU admissions and, according to ECDC, it is 32% in the USA, 23% in Sweden, and 17% in Italy had a previous history of diabetes.…”

“…Similarly, El-Kady et al, reported 20% of diabetic ICU admissions. 14 About 36.2% of ICU admissions had both diabetes and HTN in our study.…”

“…Overall, deaths observed were 95 out of 348 (27%) in our study, almost similar to the study (28%) done by Zhou et al, 11 but the sample was taken from patients 18 years and above. Similarly, 55 deaths (27.6%) were seen in a Saudi Arabian study by EL-Kady et al, 14 The highest mortality was observed in Italy (53.4%), 16 the USA (39%), 17 and Spain (30.5%), 18 from reports obtained. The case fatality rate in the elderly group patients was found to be 37% whereas it was 21% in the middle-aged (prevalence ratio: 1.7).…”

Predictive value of ferritin, glucose, urea, and creatinine for COVID-19 severity and mortality in patients from Asir, Saudi Arabia

“…The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia have been documented in several studies, but there is only limited information regarding the severity of COVID-19 in the Asir province. 12,13 Considering these previously published studies, the aim of the present study was to correlate demographics, blood groupings, and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Abha, Asir Region, Saudi Arabia, with disease severity and outcomes. The rates of mortality and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) caused by COVID-19 were collected to evaluate the tendency of the relation.…”

Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and platelet lymphocyte ratio as a marker for disease severity in children with COVID-19

“…The levels of CRP, D-dimer, are clearly elevated and blood cell count showed leukopenia or leukocytosis, and lymphopenia in critical disease. 3 In human body, platelets are essential immune cells that plays a significant role in blood clotting mechanism and maintenance of vascular lining, new vessel formation, natural immunity and reaction in inflammation. Variation in their count is markedly related to a spectrum of illnesses.…”