Cáceres Ramírez Catalina, Lora Mantilla Alvaro José, Parra Gómez Laura Alejandra, Ortegón Vargas Valentina, Posso Paz Mariam, Flórez Esparza Valeria, Gómez Lahitton Edgar, Villabona Flórez Silvia Juliana, Rocha Lezama Maria Catalina, Camacho López Paul Anthony
Research, Development, and Technological Innovation Department, Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander, Floridablanca, COL.
Cureus. 2023 Aug 21;15(8):e43888. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43888. eCollection 2023 Aug.
Objective This study aims to describe demographic and clinical characteristics and the factors associated with the risk of COVID-19 general hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) care of patients who consulted in a third-level hospital in Santander, Colombia. Methods We used baseline data from an ambidirectional cohort study. We included all patients with positive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 who came to the emergency room (ER) for respiratory symptoms related to COVID-19. Information regarding patients' baseline characteristics and symptoms was collected through telephone interviews and review of medical records. Vital signs were extracted from medical records as well. Results We enrolled 3,030 patients, predominantly men, with a median age of 60 (interquartile range (IQR): 44-73). Symptoms of the acute phase varied between men and women. Men presented with more respiratory symptoms, and women had general symptoms. Hypertension, obesity, and diabetes were common risk factors for hospital admission. Antibiotic consumption may also play a role in hospital admission. Conclusions Male sex, older age, hypertension, obesity, prior thrombotic events, and self-medicated antibiotics were associated with general hospitalization. Hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cancer were associated with ICU admission. The Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) is a powerful tool for evaluate the impact of pre-existing health conditions on COVID-19 hospital admission. We highlight the importance of these findings as possible predictors in our region.
目的 本研究旨在描述在哥伦比亚桑坦德市一家三级医院就诊的新冠肺炎患者的人口统计学和临床特征，以及与新冠肺炎普通住院和重症监护病房（ICU）护理风险相关的因素。方法 我们使用了一项双向队列研究的基线数据。我们纳入了所有因与新冠肺炎相关的呼吸道症状前来急诊室（ER）就诊且实时聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测结果为新冠肺炎阳性的患者。通过电话访谈和查阅病历收集患者的基线特征和症状信息。生命体征也从病历中提取。结果 我们纳入了3030名患者，以男性为主，中位年龄为60岁（四分位间距（IQR）：44 - 73）。急性期症状在男性和女性之间有所不同。男性出现更多呼吸道症状，女性则有全身症状。高血压、肥胖和糖尿病是住院的常见危险因素。抗生素使用也可能在住院中起作用。结论 男性、老年、高血压、肥胖、既往血栓形成事件和自行使用抗生素与普通住院相关。高血压、肥胖、糖尿病和癌症与入住ICU相关。查尔森合并症指数（CCI）是评估既往健康状况对新冠肺炎住院影响的有力工具。我们强调这些发现作为我们地区可能的预测指标非常重要。
