Epidemiological Status and Health System Screening of COVID 19 Hospitalized Patients in Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: The first case of Covid-19 disease was identified in Iran on February 19, 2020, and spread rapidly throughout the country. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Isfahan province of Iran from February 29, 2020, to July 21, 2020, and evaluate the effect of health system screening on the final outcome patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all patients with positive COVID-19 PCR test and patients with negative PCR test but suspected clinical symptoms of COVID 19, admitted to Isfahan hospitals from February 29 to July 21were included in the study and the epidemiological characteristics of patients such as demographic characteristics, underlying disease, early signs and symptoms and the final outcomes of patients were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Results: Of 11817 inpatients with COVID-19, 6590 (55.9%) were male, 1222 (10.4%) died, 9759 (82.8%) were discharged, and 4324 (36.7%) of hospitalized patients were asymptomatic. Among the hospitalized patients, 4642 (35.8%) had received primary screening services, and the mean age of the screened patients was statistically significantly higher than the group without primary screening (58.9±20.61, 55.08±21.57, P=0.068). 6914 (64.6%) of hospitalized patients had a positive initial PCR test, which was statistically significantly higher in patients with diabetes and an early symptom of sore throat. The Odds Ratio (OR) of readmission was most significantly associated with underlying cancer (OR=3.05, CI 95% 1.31-7.1) (P=0.011). The rate of readmission was statistically significantly higher in elderly, rural residents, and patients with underlying disease, diabetic, and hypertensive patients (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that about half of the people who tested positive for COVID- 19 needed to be hospitalized, and about 9 percent mostly diabetic and hypertensive patients, needed readmission. More than half of the hospitalized people were not screened by the health system. However, screening by the health system had no effect on the length of hospital stay and disease outcome.

The Comparison of Clinical Epidemiology of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 during the Third and Fourth Waves of the Pandemic in Gorgan

“…A recent study in Iran showed that about half of the people with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19 required hospitalization, and almost 5%, mainly with the underlying diseases of diabetes and hypertension, had to be rehospitalized. More than 50% of the hospitalized patients had not been screened by the health system, and the screening had no effect on the length of stay (LOS) and outcomes of the disease [ 6 ]. In addition, Baigi et al reported that older age, being male, history of comorbidities (especially cancer), and decreased consciousness at arrival were among the factors that could considerably increase the risk of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Iran [ 7 ].…”