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Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 pneumonia patients from an intensive care unit in Faisalabad, Pakistan
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  • Noor Gul,
  • Umer Usman,
  • Umair Ahmed,
  • Majid Ali,
  • Aamir Shaukat,
  • Mehar Muhammad Imran
Noor Gul
District Headquarter Hospital

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Umer Usman
District Headquarter Hospital
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Umair Ahmed
Allied Hospital
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Majid Ali
Umm Al-Qura University College of Pharmacy
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Aamir Shaukat
District Headquarter Hospital
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Mehar Muhammad Imran
District Headquarter Hospital
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Abstract

Aim: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of severe COVID-19 adult patients, with the exploration of risk factors for mortality in the hospital. Methods: This study included 20 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the ICU of DHQ Hospital Faisalabad (Pakistan) and were categorized into the survival group and death group according to the outcome. We retrieved demographics, clinical manifestations and signs, laboratory indicators, treatment measures, and clinical outcomes from the medical record, and summarized the clinical characteristics and outcomes of these patients. Results: The average age of patients was 70 ± 12 years, of which 40% were male. They were admitted to the ICU 11 days after the onset of symptoms. The most common symptoms on admission were cough (19 cases, 95%), fatigue or myalgia (18 cases, 90%), fever (17 cases, 85%), and dyspnea (16 cases, 80%). Eleven (55%) patients had underlying diseases, of which hypertension was the most common (11 cases, 55%), followed by cardiovascular disease (4 cases, 20%), and diabetes (3 cases, 15%). Six patients (30%) received invasive mechanical ventilation and continuous renal replacement therapy and eventually died. Acute heart injury was the most common complication (19 cases, 95%). Ten (50%) patients died between 2 and 19 days after admission to the ICU. Compared to dead patients, the average body weight of surviving patients was lower (61.70± 2.36 vs 68.60±7.15, P = 0.01), Glasgow Coma Scale score was higher (14.69±0.70 vs 12.70±2.45, P = 0.03), with fewer concurrent shocks (2 vs 10, P = 0.001) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (2 vs 10, P = 0.001). Conclusion: The mortality rate is high in patients with critical COVID-19 disease. Lower Glasgow Coma Scale, higher body weight, and decreased lymphocyte count appear to be potential risk factors for the death of COVID-19 patients in the ICU.
24 Aug 2020Submitted to International Journal of Clinical Practice
25 Aug 2020Submission Checks Completed
25 Aug 2020Assigned to Editor
20 Sep 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Dec 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Mar 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
17 Mar 2021Published in International Journal of Clinical Practice. 10.1111/ijcp.14152