Biological profile of covid-19 deceased patients

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease that can cause a range of manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to severe illness that requires hospitalization and can sometimes result in death. The aim of this study is to review the clinical and biological features of COVID-19 non-survivors to establish the most prominent findings that might be associated to mortality in patients. Population and methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Pulmonology unit of the University Hospital Center of Setif to analyze the clinical and biological characteristics of COVID-19 deceased patients who were hospitalized from March 2020 to July 2022. Demographic and socio-economic, clinical and laboratory data of patients were collected. Results and discussion: A total of 90 deceased patients were included in this study; the population was predominantly male (74.4%) with a mean age of 73±13.57 years old. (84%) patients reported having at least one comorbidity with hypertension (49%), pneumopathy (40%) and diabetes (34%) being the most common medical antecedents. Dyspnea (97%), fatigue, (77%), dry cough (66%) and fever (62%) were the main symptoms assessed at admission. Hyperglycemia (82%), uremia (82%), lymphopenia (73%), hyponatremia (68%) and neutrophilia (63%) were among the primary biological abnormalities found at admission. Metabolic (29%), thromboembolic (17%) and renal (14%) complications prevailed among those who developed adverse events before death. Conclusion: Male sex, advanced age, presence of comorbidities, dyspnea, hyperglycemia, uremia and lymphopenia at admission can be predictors of mortality in COVID-19 hospitalized patients.