TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical characteristics, treatment regimen and duration of hospitalization among COVID-19 patients in Ghana
T2 - a retrospective cohort study
AU - Ashinyo, Mary Eyram
AU - Duti, Vida
AU - Dubik, Stephen Dajaan
AU - Amegah, Kingsley Ebenezer
AU - Kutsoati, Selorm
AU - Oduro-Mensah, Ebenezer
AU - Puplampu, Peter
AU - Gyansa-Lutterodt, Martha
AU - Darko, Delese Mimi
AU - Buabeng, Kwame Ohene
AU - Ashinyo, Anthony
AU - Ofosu, Anthony Adofo
AU - Baddoo, Nyonuku Akosua
AU - Akoriyea, Samuel Kaba
AU - Ofei, Francis
AU - Kuma-Aboagye, Patrick
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright: Mary Eyram Ashinyo et al.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Introduction: COVID-19 is a global pandemic seen in modern times. The clinical characteristics, treatment regimen and duration of hospitalization of COVID-19 patients remain unclear in Ghana. Methods: we retrospectively reviewed the secondary data of 307 discharged COVID-19 patients to characterize their demographics, clinical symptoms, treatment regimen given and duration of hospitalization. Results: the mean age and temperature of the patients were 37.9 years and 36.3°C, respectively. The majority (85.7%) of the cases reviewed were asymptomatic; for those presenting with symptoms, the main ones were cough (50%), fever (29.6%), headache (27.3%), and sore throat (22.7%). Comorbidities were present in 25.1% of the patients; the popularly reported comorbidities were hypertension (71.4%), asthma (7.8%) and diabetes (6.5%). The average duration of hospitalization was 13.8 days, and the duration of hospitalization for patients managed with azithromycin + chloroquine (AZ+CQ) was 10.4 days, followed closely by those managed with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) only, 11.0 days. There was longer duration of hospitalization among patients who received AZ only compared to patients receiving AZ + CQ (3.24 ± 1.10 days, p=0.037; 95% CI 0.11, 6.37). Linear regression analysis showed that the duration of hospitalization for patients who received AZ only was 2.7 days, which was higher than that of patients who received AZ+CQ and HCQ only (95% CI 0.44, 4.93; p=0.019). Conclusion: in this cohort of COVID-19 patients, the common symptoms were cough, fever, headache, and sore throat. The use of AZ+CQ or HCQ only as a therapy for managing COVID-19 patients shortened the duration of hospitalization.
AB - Introduction: COVID-19 is a global pandemic seen in modern times. The clinical characteristics, treatment regimen and duration of hospitalization of COVID-19 patients remain unclear in Ghana. Methods: we retrospectively reviewed the secondary data of 307 discharged COVID-19 patients to characterize their demographics, clinical symptoms, treatment regimen given and duration of hospitalization. Results: the mean age and temperature of the patients were 37.9 years and 36.3°C, respectively. The majority (85.7%) of the cases reviewed were asymptomatic; for those presenting with symptoms, the main ones were cough (50%), fever (29.6%), headache (27.3%), and sore throat (22.7%). Comorbidities were present in 25.1% of the patients; the popularly reported comorbidities were hypertension (71.4%), asthma (7.8%) and diabetes (6.5%). The average duration of hospitalization was 13.8 days, and the duration of hospitalization for patients managed with azithromycin + chloroquine (AZ+CQ) was 10.4 days, followed closely by those managed with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) only, 11.0 days. There was longer duration of hospitalization among patients who received AZ only compared to patients receiving AZ + CQ (3.24 ± 1.10 days, p=0.037; 95% CI 0.11, 6.37). Linear regression analysis showed that the duration of hospitalization for patients who received AZ only was 2.7 days, which was higher than that of patients who received AZ+CQ and HCQ only (95% CI 0.44, 4.93; p=0.019). Conclusion: in this cohort of COVID-19 patients, the common symptoms were cough, fever, headache, and sore throat. The use of AZ+CQ or HCQ only as a therapy for managing COVID-19 patients shortened the duration of hospitalization.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Ghana
KW - azithromycin
KW - chloroquine
KW - clinical characteristics
KW - duration of hospitalization
KW - hydroxychloroquine
KW - infectious diseases
KW - supportive treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097516620&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.37.9.25718
DO - 10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.37.9.25718
M3 - Article
C2 - 33294110
AN - SCOPUS:85097516620
SN - 1937-8688
VL - 37
SP - 9
JO - Pan African Medical Journal
JF - Pan African Medical Journal
ER -