Clinical outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients at Mthatha Regional Hospital, Eastern Cape, South Africa: A retrospective study
- Kaswa, Ramprakash, Yogeswaran, Parimalaranie, Cawe, Busisiwe
- Authors: Kaswa, Ramprakash , Yogeswaran, Parimalaranie , Cawe, Busisiwe
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: COVID-19 Diabetes Hypertension Diseases Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7330 , vital:53402 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v63i1.5253"
- Description: Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health crisis that threatens the current health system. The sudden expansion in the need for inpatient and intensive care facilities raised concerns about optimal clinical management and resource allocation. Despite the pressing need for evidence to make context-specific decisions on COVID-19 management, evidence from South Africa remained limited. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 hospitalised patients. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes of hospitalised adult patients (≥ 18 years old) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness at Mthatha Regional Hospital (MRH), Eastern Cape. Results: Of the 1814 patients tested for COVID-19 between 20 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 at MRH, two-thirds (65.4%) were female. About two-thirds (242) of the 392 patients (21.6%) who tested positive for this disease were hospitalised and one-third (150) were quarantined at home. The mean age of the patients tested for COVID-19 was 42.6 years and there was no difference between males and females. The mean age of hospitalised patients was 55.5 years and the mean age of hospitalised patients who died (61.3 years) was much higher than recovered (49.5 years). Overall, 188 (77.6%) hospitalised patients had clinical comorbidity on admission. Diabetes (36.8%) and hypertension (33.1%) were the most common comorbidities amongst COVID-19 hospitalised patients. Conclusion: The majority of the patients who were hospitalised for COVID-19 were elderly and had high baseline comorbidities. Advance age and underlying comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension and HIV) were associated with high mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Keywords: COVID-19, diabetes; hypertension; hospitalised; co-morbidity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Kaswa, Ramprakash , Yogeswaran, Parimalaranie , Cawe, Busisiwe
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: COVID-19 Diabetes Hypertension Diseases Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7330 , vital:53402 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v63i1.5253"
- Description: Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health crisis that threatens the current health system. The sudden expansion in the need for inpatient and intensive care facilities raised concerns about optimal clinical management and resource allocation. Despite the pressing need for evidence to make context-specific decisions on COVID-19 management, evidence from South Africa remained limited. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 hospitalised patients. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes of hospitalised adult patients (≥ 18 years old) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness at Mthatha Regional Hospital (MRH), Eastern Cape. Results: Of the 1814 patients tested for COVID-19 between 20 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 at MRH, two-thirds (65.4%) were female. About two-thirds (242) of the 392 patients (21.6%) who tested positive for this disease were hospitalised and one-third (150) were quarantined at home. The mean age of the patients tested for COVID-19 was 42.6 years and there was no difference between males and females. The mean age of hospitalised patients was 55.5 years and the mean age of hospitalised patients who died (61.3 years) was much higher than recovered (49.5 years). Overall, 188 (77.6%) hospitalised patients had clinical comorbidity on admission. Diabetes (36.8%) and hypertension (33.1%) were the most common comorbidities amongst COVID-19 hospitalised patients. Conclusion: The majority of the patients who were hospitalised for COVID-19 were elderly and had high baseline comorbidities. Advance age and underlying comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension and HIV) were associated with high mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Keywords: COVID-19, diabetes; hypertension; hospitalised; co-morbidity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
Skills for communicating severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 result to patients and/or relatives
- Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent, Kayembe, Dominique K
- Authors: Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent , Kayembe, Dominique K
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: COVID-19 Structured model Medical consultation Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7236 , vital:53095 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v63i1.5221"
- Description: Clinicians notify positive results of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 polymerase chain reaction to patients and/or relatives, whilst short message service (SMS) has been adopted as a means of disseminating negative results. Therefore, clinicians should be adequately equipped to provide telephonic consultation whilst delivering a positive test result to patients. The news of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test result often invokes fear of impending death in patients, especially the elderlies and those with comorbidities. In addition, several survivors have reported persistent symptoms and COVID-19-related stigma, which precludes them from immediate re-integration into their workplaces. Consequently, COVID-19 results are perceived as bad news by the members of the public. This article justifies why COVID-19 test results are bad news and also discusses the notification steps to follow when delivering COVID-19 results, whilst also addressing patients’ immediate concerns. The article concludes by highlighting an important safety net for COVID-19 patients and the attending clinician.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent , Kayembe, Dominique K
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: COVID-19 Structured model Medical consultation Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7236 , vital:53095 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v63i1.5221"
- Description: Clinicians notify positive results of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 polymerase chain reaction to patients and/or relatives, whilst short message service (SMS) has been adopted as a means of disseminating negative results. Therefore, clinicians should be adequately equipped to provide telephonic consultation whilst delivering a positive test result to patients. The news of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test result often invokes fear of impending death in patients, especially the elderlies and those with comorbidities. In addition, several survivors have reported persistent symptoms and COVID-19-related stigma, which precludes them from immediate re-integration into their workplaces. Consequently, COVID-19 results are perceived as bad news by the members of the public. This article justifies why COVID-19 test results are bad news and also discusses the notification steps to follow when delivering COVID-19 results, whilst also addressing patients’ immediate concerns. The article concludes by highlighting an important safety net for COVID-19 patients and the attending clinician.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
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