ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: In December 2019, an unknown pneumonia epidemic was detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. In February 2020 the World Health Organization referred it coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019). Since then COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly worldwide. The duration of hospitalization of patients is a substantial matter regarding cost-effectiveness and the burden of the disease and the low capacity of health care systems in several countries, especially the developing countries. In the present study, we aimed to examine the factors affecting the duration of hospital stay. Methods: 140 patients were enrolled in our retrospective cohort study. Patients divided into 2 groups as ≤9 days and >9 days duration of hospital stay. Diagnosis of COVID-19 was determined by detecting SARS-Cov-2 RNA with real-time PCR method according to the World Health Organization's temporary guideline. Indication for hospitalization was carried out in line with interim guidelines of the Republic of Turkey's coronavirus scientific advisory board. Results: Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. Levels of high sensitive cardiac troponin I (1.9 (0.9-4.0) vs 4.7 (2.7-10.5), p<0.001), aspartate transaminase (23.0 (19.3-31.5) vs 29.0 (21.3-43.5), p=0.014), lactate dehydrogenase (229.5 (188.0-289.5) vs 260.0 (210.0-347.5.0), p=0.039) and c-reactive protein (1.6 (0.5-5.3) vs 3.6 (0.7-11.6), p=0.05) on admission were significantly higher in long-term hospitalization group. However, platelet count (194.0 (161.2-232.5) vs. 229.5 (197.5-281.5), p=0.001) and systolic blood pressure (111.5 (110.0-130.0) vs. 120.0 (110.0-131.5), p=0.045) on admission were lower in long-term hospitalization group. Forward stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that platelet count (OR: 0.994 (0.989-0.999), %95 CI, p=0.018) was an independent predictor of the duration of hospitalization in patients with COVID-19. Conclusions: Platelet count on admission is significantly lower in long-term hospitalization patients with COVID-19 than in-short-term hospitalization patients.
ABSTRACT
At the end of December 2019 many cases of severe pulmonary inflammation were reported in Hubei Province, China. Nearly all of the affected individuals had had contact to the wet fish market, which was believed to be the source of the novel infection and was closed on 1 January 2020. Subsequently, the Chinese health authorities confirmed that the pathogen was a previously unknown severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which belongs to the Coronaviridae family. The disease was then designated as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and rapidly spread initially in Asia and later worldwide. In March 2020 the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. At the time of manuscript submission, more than 20 million people were affected by COVID-19, with more than 500,000 deaths worldwide. The article gives a general overview on the novel COVID-19 with a specific clinical focus on vascular involvement. The article is essentially based on the currently available evidence and the experiences of the authors.