Duration and aetiology of extended hospitalization among COVID-19 patients in United Arab Emirates/Duree et etiologie de l'hospitalisation prolongee des patients atteints de COVID-19 aux Emirats arabes unis

Aim: To identify the reasons for prolonged hospitalization after recovery for COVID-19 patients in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of 150 (18.75%) patients with prolonged hospitalization in a tertiary hospital in Dubai from 1 April to 1 July 2020. Data was obtained from the electronic medical records of the hospital. Continuous variables are reported as mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables are reported as numbers and percentages. Results: The mean duration of hospitalization was 48.5 (9-272) days, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 22 days. The mean duration of extended stay was 27.5 (2-231) days, with an IQR of 17 days. The common reasons for prolonged hospitalization were mandatory isolation 28% (n = 62), hospital-acquired infections 17% (n = 37), acute respiratory distress syndrome 15% (n = 32), myopathy/neuropathy 14% (n = 31), pulmonary fibrosis requiring oxygen supplementation 14% (n = 31), and completion of COVID-19 treatment 12% (n = 25). Conclusion: To make optimal use of available hospital resources, reasons that directly or indirectly contributed to the prolonged hospitalization of patients should be considered and addressed during future pandemics or disease outbreaks. Keywords: prolonged hospitalization, COVID-19, long COVID, length of stay, Dubai Contexte : Il est essentiel de proceder a un examen retrospectif des premiers stades de la pandemie de COVID-19 en 2020 et des difficultes rencontrees par les hopitaux dans l'ere post-pandemique de 2022. Objectif : Identifier les causes d'une hospitalisation prolongee suite a une guerison des patients atteints de COVID-19 aux Emirats arabes unis. Methodes : La presente etude observationnelle retrospective a ete realisee aupres de 150 patients (18,75 %) hospitalises de maniere prolongee entre le 1er avril et le 1er juillet 2020 dans un hopital tertiaire de Dubai. Les donnees ont ete obtenues a partir des dossiers medicaux electroniques de l'hopital. Les variables continues sont presentees sous forme de moyennes et d'ecarts-types, et les variables categorielles sont presentees en tant que nombres et pourcentages. Resultats : La duree moyenne d'hospitalisation etait de 48,5 jours (9-272), avec un intervalle interquartile (IQR) de 22 jours. La duree moyenne de sejour prolonge etait de 27,5 jours (2-231), avec un IQR de 17 jours. Les causes les plus courantes d'hospitalisation prolongee etaient l'isolement obligatoire pour 28 % (n = 62),