General Hospitalization and Intensive Care Unit-Related Factors of COVID-19 Patients in Northeastern Colombia: Baseline Characteristics of a Cohort Study

Variables Associated With In-Hospital Lethality in COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study From Colombia

INTRODUCTION

The emergence of COVID-19 represents the most significant health crisis in recent history. Incidence and mortality rates depend on several factors. Many studies have focused on investigating which characteristics could be strongly related to higher mortality and lethality.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to analyze the variables associated with in-hospital mortality among patients admitted in a reference northeastern region of a Colombian institution.

METHODS

An ambidirectional cohort, single-center study was carried out in a reference hospital in northeastern Colombia. All patients admitted to the Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander (FOSCAL) between March 2020 and September 2021, with COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive test, were included.

RESULTS

A total of 3,028 patients were included, of whom 2,034 (67.8%) survived and 994 (32.8%) died during their hospital stay; 48.8% (1,479) of the patients were female. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (1,236 patients, 40.8%), obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30; 656 patients, 21.6%), and diabetes (618 patients, 20.4%). The average age of the surviving patients was 52.2 years, while for the deceased patients, it was 70.3 years. The variables that showed significant association with in-hospital mortality were as follows: male sex ≥ 45 years, dyspnea, oxygen saturation (SatO2) < 85%, hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score of >1.

CONCLUSIONS

Male sex, age ≥ 45 years, dyspnea, SatO2 < 85%, hypertension, CKD, and a CCI score of >1 were associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19-infected patients.

Factors associated with long COVID syndrome in a Colombian cohort

Introduction

After acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, some patients persist with clinical symptoms, a phenomenon known as Long COVID syndrome. It is necessary to understand the factors associated with the persistence of these symptoms to develop individualized preventive approaches and effectively address this challenge.

Objective

To determine the factors associated with the persistence of symptoms six months after COVID-19 infection.

Materials and methods

A ambidirectional cohort, single-center study, that included individuals previously diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive test, who were followed for a period of six months. Univariate, bivariate and a multivariate binomial regression model were performed to determine risk factors associated with the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms at the six months of follow-up.

Results

The prevalence of long COVID syndrome was 47%. Age demonstrated no significant association with Long COVID (RR 0.999 [95% CI 0.996-1.002]); however, female sex (RR 1.148 [95% CI 1.038-1.268]), requirement of mechanical ventilation (RR 1.278 [95% CI 1.050-1.555]), presence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (RR 1.340 [95% CI 1.104-1.626]), Rheumatic Disease (RR 1.259 [95% CI 1.055-1.504]) and the Hospitalization Type: General Hospitalization (RR 1.247 [95% CI 1.090-1.427]) and ICU Hospitalization (RR 1.490 [95% CI 1.221-1.818]) were significantly associated with the persistence of symptoms at the six month of follow-up.

Conclusion

Female sex, presence of COPD, rheumatic disease, hospitalization type and requirement of mechanical ventilation during index infection were identified as significant risk factors for the diagnosis of Long COVID. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing Long COVID syndrome in terms of prevention and management, taking these risk factors into consideration.