Clinical profile and outcome of COVID 19 patients admitted in tertiary care hospital, Tamilnadu

Aim: to study the clinical, biochemical, radiological profile of symptomatic hospitalised COVID 19 patients at initial presentation and its outcome. Background and Methods: Retrospective study was done on 50 hospitalised patients who were diagnosed with COVID- 19 pneumonia with gold standard RT PCR in Apollo Main hospital, Greams road, Chennai. The clinical, laboratory, radiological characteristics and treatment and outcomes were collected from electronic medical records. The information recorded included medical history, contact history, co-morbidities, symptoms, signs, laboratory findings, radiological findings including chest X-ray and CT chest, treatment measures (antiviral, antibiotic, steroids, anticoagulant therapy and respiratory support), duration of hospital stay and outcomes of the patients. Results: The study was done on 50 hospitalised patients with mean age of 59.8 years. Male (66%) patients were more compared to female patients. Fever (N=44) (88%) was the most common symptom present in our patients followed by breathlessness (N=27) (54%) Most of the patients were under category B 2(N=16) (32%). Most common co-morbidity was Diabetes (N=25) (50%) followed by Hypertension (N=23) (46%). Only few patients had leucocytosis (N=16) (32%) but most of the patients had lymphocytopenia. LDH, PCT, and IL-6 were significantly elevated in majority of the patients. Chest x-ray of the patients demonstrated bilateral (N=26) (52%)involvement with predilection for peripheries(N=34) (68%). HRCT Chest of the patients demonstrated predilection for peripheral lung fields in the form of patchy ground glass opacities (100%). Most of the patients were treated with steroids(N=34%) (68%) and anticoagulants (N=46) (92%). 42 Patients were discharged (84%). Average length of stay in hospital is 8.92 days (2 to 42 days). Conclusion: This study shows the various range of COVID 19 presentation varying from mild to severe pneumonia. Lymphocytopenia and elevated biomarkers with peripheral opacities in CT chest will help to assess the prognosis. Old age and patients with multiple co-morbidities are associated with poor prognosis.