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Gazeta Médica
Print version ISSN 2183-8135On-line version ISSN 2184-0628
Abstract
GRENHO, Fátima et al. Clinical Features of Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to the Dedicated Service of CUF Infante Santo Hospital: A Series of Clinical Cases. Gaz Med [online]. 2020, vol.7, n.2, pp.82-91. Epub June 21, 2021. ISSN 2183-8135. https://doi.org/10.29315/gm.v7i2.367.
Introduction:
On 18th March, CUF Group made the CUF Infante Santo Hospital (HCIS) available as the reference hospital for patients with COVID-19, in Lisbon area. The dedicated medical team (DMT) formed by doctors from the Tejo Cluster, under the coordination of Internal Medicine, was responsible for the non-critical patients’ hospitalization (NCPH). This study reports the main demographic and clinical features of the admitted population.
Material and methods:
Retrospective study that analysis the features of NCPH, between 27th March and 7th May 2020. The diagnosis criteria for COVID-19 were based on laboratorial confirmation and/or imaging criteria. The non-critical patient was defined as the patient that presented a Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) between 0 and 2. Data was collected from patient’s electronic clinical files and from the database created for the follow-up of these specific patients. Demographic and clinical features, complementary exams, therapy and results are presented in this paper.
Results:
We included 44 patients in the study, the mean age was 67 years old, 52.3% were male. Patients were divided in groups according to the presence of Pneumonia (75%) or not (25%). Origin of the patients: home 81.8%, nursing home 11.4% and other hospital 8%. Distribution according to risk factors of severe disease was: Age >65 years old (56.8%), high blood pressure (59%), chronic respiratory disease (15.9%), obesity (15.9%), active cancer (13.6%), diabetes (11.4%), ischemic heart disease (11.4%), heart failure (6.8%), immunosuppression (6.8%), with a mean score of Charlson’s comorbidity index of 3.6. There was an increase on the severity of the clinical status of 3 patients (6.8%) requiring an escalation of the clinical care, leading to 2 (4.5%) patients requiring assisted ventilation and 1 death (2.3%). Mean length of stay was 10 days, 3 (6.8%) patients were transferred to another hospital and 40 (91%) were discharged.
Discussion:
The sample presented in this study, represents the first group of non-critical patients admitted with COVID-19 into CUF Health care units in Lisbon region. Taking into account the admitted population (namely risk factors for severe disease and an elevated comorbidity index), evolution and in-hospital mortality were better than expected.
Conclusion:
Interpretation of these results is conditioned by the small size of this sample and the existing uncertainties with this new disease.
Keywords : COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Hospitalization; Pandemics; Pneumonia; SARS-CoV-2.