ABSTRACT
Background: There is a growing need to understand the risk factors and prevalence of AKI in COVID-19 patients to better manage and prevent the condition. HIMS, Hassan is a hospital in India that has been treating COVID-19 patients since the onset of the pandemic. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in COVID-19 patients admitted to a hospital in HIMS, Hassan, and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods: The study is a retrospective cohort study that investigates the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who met the inclusion criteria in HIMS teaching hospital, Hassan. 300 patients were included, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed using mean with standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables and proportions and percentages for categorical variables. Results: Out of 300 patients, 68% had AKI. The age distribution was similar between the two groups, with the highest proportion of patients in the age group of 40-49 years. The proportion of AKI was higher among males than females, but the difference was not statistically significant. The need for ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and dialysis was strongly associated with AKI. Patients with comorbidities such as DM and DM+HTN were at a higher risk of developing AKI. Laboratory parameters such as D-dimer, LDH, ferritin, urea, creatinine, SGOT, SGPT, Neutrophils / Lymphocytes ratio, and chloride levels were significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of monitoring patients with comorbidities closely and implementing preventive measures to reduce the incidence of AKI in COVID-19 patients.
ABSTRACT
Background: There is a growing need to understand the risk factors and prevalence of AKI in COVID-19 patients to better manage and prevent the condition. HIMS, Hassan is a hospital in India that has been treating COVID-19 patients since the onset of the pandemic. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in COVID-19 patients admitted to a hospital in HIMS, Hassan, and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods: The study is a retrospective cohort study that investigates the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who met the inclusion criteria in HIMS teaching hospital, Hassan. 300 patients were included, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed using mean with standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables and proportions and percentages for categorical variables. Results: Out of 300 patients, 68% had AKI. The age distribution was similar between the two groups, with the highest proportion of patients in the age group of 40-49 years. The proportion of AKI was higher among males than females, but the difference was not statistically significant. The need for ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and dialysis was strongly associated with AKI. Patients with comorbidities such as DM and DM+HTN were at a higher risk of developing AKI. Laboratory parameters such as D-dimer, LDH, ferritin, urea, creatinine, SGOT, SGPT, Neutrophils / Lymphocytes ratio, and chloride levels were significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of monitoring patients with comorbidities closely and implementing preventive measures to reduce the incidence of AKI in COVID-19 patients.
ABSTRACT
Background: Adoption of the LIMS (laboratory information management system) serves varied purposes in the diagnostic laboratory and might take a very lengthy period for its implementation. But, without controls being put in place, it can create a barrier to the project’s execution and prevent it from being finished on time. Methods: A WhatsApp group with 22 members, including lab technicians, heads of lab sections, a billing manager, an operations assistant manager, an assistant nursing caretaker, and administrative staff, was created. The assistant operations manager posted the daily pending report status in the WhatsApp group to help the lab team ratify, correct, and complete the assignments. To track pending report closures in real-time, the WhatsApp group mediated weekly follow-ups. The laboratory services department head informed the team monthly on the project’s status. The nonparametric Wilcoxon rank test and paired student t-test were performed to compare pre and post-survey responses before and after the seven-month intervention period. Results: The non-parametric Wilcoxon rank test and paired t-test results of the post-test demonstrated that the participant’s answer had improved significantly since the pre-test. The questionnaire showed that participants liked the new WhatsApp control mechanism. The number of pending reports reduced from 4,000 to 240 in seven months, a statistically significant decrease at a p value of 0.01. This supports the newly implemented WhatsApp control. Conclusions: Based on this interventional study, WhatsApp-based controls can be employed in conjunction with more conventional ways to regulate process outcomes during LIMS adoption.