A retrospective, observational study to assess the intermediate-term clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients in a tertiary hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Background & Objective: There is limited data from lower middle-income countries to describe the outcomes of COVID-19 and the prevalence of patients requiring critical care. We aim to assess and compare the demographics, clinical course and mortality of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and those admitted to the specialized COVID unit (SCU).

Methodology: A single-center, retrospective, observational study in which all patients admitted to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar (Pakistan) with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from March 25, 2020 to December 31, 2021 were included. Study data were retrieved through the Pakistan Registry of Intensive Care (PRICE).

Results: Of 699 patients, 448 were critically ill, and 251 did not require ICU admission. Of those admitted to ICU, 61.8% were male, with a median age of 55 y. ICU mortality was significantly higher (P = 0.001) among those on IMV and those aged 60 y; whereas 68.9% of the non-ICU patients were male, with a median age of 57 y. While the median duration of hospitalization was significantly longer (P = 0.001), the chances of recovery were substantially better (P = 0.001) compared with the critically ill population.

Conclusion: The major risk factors contributing to the increased mortality in COVID-19 patients are age and the requirement for IMV.

Keywords: COVID-19; Intensive Care Unit; Lower Middle Income Country; Mortality; SARS-CoV-2

Citation: Ashraf MS, Hussaini A, Gamage Dona DP, Shaikh M. A retrospective, observational study to assess the intermediate-term clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients in a large public sector hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2024;28(2):198−205; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v28i2.2423

Received: April 23, 2023; Reviewed: July 26, 2023; Accepted: January 20, 2024