ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate an association between severity of COVID19 infection in hospitalized patients belonging to different ethnic backgrounds with various demographic data across two waves of the pandemic. Method(s):728 COVID19 patients admitted between April 2020 and March 2021 were retrospectively analysed. Result(s):295 patients(40.5%)were from ethnic minority groups(EMG). Severe COVID19 based on chest Xray scores were not significantly different among EMGs and whites. Intensive therapy unit(ITU)admissions was required in 12% of white patients compared to 20% of EMGs(p=0.001). Continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP)was required in 22% vs 24%(p=0.12)and mechanical ventilation in 5% vs 10%(p=0.013)of whites and EMG patients,respectively. Mortality was significantly higher in White as compared to EMG(11% vs 6%;p=0.001). When the outcomes were compared between two waves(April-August 2020 and September 2020-March 2021)of COVID19,a significantly higher number of EMGs required CPAP support during first wave(5.3%vs2.6%;p=0.008)compared to second wave,where the difference was not significant(11.6%vs15.5%;p=0.465). Mortality was higher in whites as compared to EMGs during second wave(5.7%vs1.7%:p=0.03). Conclusion(s): Although mechanical ventilation and ITU admission was higher among EMGs,the overall mortality was more in whites.