Assessment of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a Saudi Arabian isolation center experience

ABSTRACT

Introduction Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that lead to diseases in animals or humans. Objective To assess clinical, radiological, and laboratory criteria, as well as treatment of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019, and the relation to radiological progression and hospital stay. Patients and methods This study was a prospective observational study conducted in an isolation sector in a private hospital in Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained from electronic records. Results A total of 30 patients were enrolled (24 males and six females), and their mean age was 51.2±15.05 years. The presenting symptoms were fever (83.3%), cough (33.3%), shortness of breathing (26.7%), body aches (16.7%), and sore throat (10%). Chest radiograph was abnormal in 76.6%. C-reactive protein (CRP) was high at 112.59±140±0.50 mg/l, and serum ferritin was 763.21±652.18 μg/l. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was higher than normal at 312.86±161 U/l. Mean D-dimer was 0.97±1.11 μg/ml. international normalized ratio was 1.09±0.194. Fibrinogen was high at 575.32±220.08 mg/dl, and activated partial thromboplastin time was 37.94±17.46 s. There was a strong positive correlation between serum ferritin and temperature, LDH, and aspartate transaminase. CRP had a strong positive correlation with alanine transaminase, total leukocytic count, lymphocytes, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Hospital stay was positively correlated with ferritin. LDH was negatively correlated with lymphocytic count. The correlation between radiological course and laboratory follow-up was poor. Conclusion Coronavirus disease 2019 affects males more than females and is more in elderly. Fever is a common presenting symptom. Infection affects many blood indices, such as LDH, ferritin, CRP, and fibrinogen. Radiological course of the lesions is not affected by those blood indices, whereas hospital stay is affected. The outcome is favorable in most of the patients.