TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted at the korle-bu teaching hospital, Accra, Ghana
AU - Adjei, Patrick
AU - Afriyie-Mensah, Jane
AU - Ganu, Vincent J.
AU - Puplampu, Peter
AU - Opoku-Asare, Bismark
AU - Dzefi-Tettey, Klenam
AU - Amissah-Arthur, Maame Boatemaa
AU - Tachi, Kenneth
AU - Boima, Vincent
AU - Dey, Dzifa
AU - Akamah, Joseph
AU - Akpalu, Albert
AU - Akpalu, Josephine
AU - Amoo, Phillip
AU - Otchi, Elom
AU - Marfoh, Kissinger
AU - Agyei-Nkansah, Adwoa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Ghana Medical Association. All right reserved.
PY - 2020/12/31
Y1 - 2020/12/31
N2 - The study examined the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections among hospitalized patients. Design: Study design was a retrospective single-center review of hospital data. Setting: The study was conducted at the COVID-19 Treatment Center of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital in Accra, Ghana. Participants and study tools: A total of fifty patients with laboratory (rRT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 infection were involved in the study. A chart review of the medical records of the patients was conducted and the data obtained was documented using a data extraction form. Results: The median age was 53 years and most (36% (18/50)) of the patients were at least 60 years of age. Eighty percent (40/50) of the patients were symptomatic, with cough and difficulty in breathing being the commonest presenting symptoms. The mean duration of hospitalization was 12.3 ± 7.3 days. Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus were the commonest co-morbidities occurring in 52% (26/50) and 42% (21/50) of patients respectively. Fifty percent of patients developed COVID-19 pneumonia as a complication. The mortality rate was 12% (6/50). Conclusion: In this study, SARS-CoV2 infection affected older adults with hypertension and diabetes mellitus being the common comorbidities. Patients with these comorbid conditions should be counselled by their clinicians to strictly observe the COVID-19 prevention protocols to reduce their risk of acquiring the infection. There is a need to pay critical and prompt attention to the management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia particularly among people with diabetes to improve outcomes.
AB - The study examined the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections among hospitalized patients. Design: Study design was a retrospective single-center review of hospital data. Setting: The study was conducted at the COVID-19 Treatment Center of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital in Accra, Ghana. Participants and study tools: A total of fifty patients with laboratory (rRT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 infection were involved in the study. A chart review of the medical records of the patients was conducted and the data obtained was documented using a data extraction form. Results: The median age was 53 years and most (36% (18/50)) of the patients were at least 60 years of age. Eighty percent (40/50) of the patients were symptomatic, with cough and difficulty in breathing being the commonest presenting symptoms. The mean duration of hospitalization was 12.3 ± 7.3 days. Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus were the commonest co-morbidities occurring in 52% (26/50) and 42% (21/50) of patients respectively. Fifty percent of patients developed COVID-19 pneumonia as a complication. The mortality rate was 12% (6/50). Conclusion: In this study, SARS-CoV2 infection affected older adults with hypertension and diabetes mellitus being the common comorbidities. Patients with these comorbid conditions should be counselled by their clinicians to strictly observe the COVID-19 prevention protocols to reduce their risk of acquiring the infection. There is a need to pay critical and prompt attention to the management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia particularly among people with diabetes to improve outcomes.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Complications
KW - Hospitalized
KW - Pneumonia
KW - Screening
KW - Symptoms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101324546&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4314/GMJ.V54I4S.6
DO - 10.4314/GMJ.V54I4S.6
M3 - Article
C2 - 33976439
AN - SCOPUS:85101324546
SN - 0016-9560
VL - 54
SP - 33
EP - 38
JO - Ghana Medical Journal
JF - Ghana Medical Journal
IS - 4
ER -