A Retrospective Study of the Factors Associated With Deterioration Severity of COVID-19 Illness at a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has rapidly progressed to a pandemic causing a severe burden on healthcare systems worldwide. It has proven to be a serious threat to certain populations such as elderly and chronically ill people. In this study we aim to determine risk factors contributing and affecting COVID-19 severity and deterioration during the course of illness. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study for all hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 from March to July 2020.Results: A total of 639 patients were included in this study. The majority were Saudi patients (87.3%). 465 (76%) were symptomatic with abnormal x-ray imaging diagnosis (56.2%). Predetermined clinical risk factors were obesity (46.3%), hypertension (42.3%), diabetes mellitus (41.8%), dyslipidemia (39%), Ischemic heart disease (13.2%), chronic lung disease (11%), chronic kidney disease (10.3%), cancer (7.9%), congestive heart failure (6.1%), and immunocompromised patients (4.6%). It was also found that chest x-ray finding upon diagnosis, and presentation of symptoms had a significant impact on the pattern of deterioration.Conclusion: This study found that elderly and chronically ill patients are at higher risk for more severe COVID-19 infection and risk of deterioration, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and probably death when compared to younger and healthier patients.

COVID-19 vaccine had a significant positive impact on patients with SARS-COV-2 during the third (Omicron) wave in Saudi Arabia

“…Previous studies from KSA described the epidemiology, clinical features, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and therapy of COVID-19 patients mainly during the first wave of the pandemic [3] , [11] , [12] , [13] , [14] . However, we are not aware of any previous studies from KSA about the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 during the Omicron wave.…”