Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 critically ill patients

Background
Medical information regarding critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient course of disease and outcomes are fundamental to providing the best medical care and avoiding possible complications.


Objective
To evaluate the clinical characters, outcomes, and mortality risk factors in COVID-19 critically ill patients


Patients and methods
In our study, 31 adult ICU patients admitted to Sohag General Hospital and Health Insurance Hospital in Sohag Governorate were included from September 2020 to October 2020. Coronavirus was affirmed by an reverse transcriptase-PCR of a nasopharyngeal swab. Clinical information was separated from clinical sheets.


Results
The mean age of the patients was 60 years, 61.3% were males, 64.5% had comorbidities, which were more in improved than dead cases (P<0.04). The dead cases had a significantly longer symptom duration till ICU admission than the improved (P<0.0001). The improved cases had considerably higher oxygen saturation on admission than dead cases (P<0.02). Mechanical ventilation was indicated in eight out of 31 patients with a mean duration of 4±2.56 days and all of them died. Mortality rate was 41.9%. The dead cases needed a vasopressor therapy more than the improved (P<0.001). Acute respiratory distress syndrome was higher in the dead cases (P<0.003). Acute cardiac injury was higher in the dead cases (P<0.02).


Conclusion
Several predictors influence survival in COVID-19 critically ill patients including comorbidities, duration of symptoms till ICU admission, O2 saturation on admission, development of complication, and laboratory findings including ferritin, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and thrombocytopenia on ICU admission.