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. 2021;153(1 & 2):115-125.
doi: 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_2311_20.

Demographic & clinical profile of patients with COVID-19 at a tertiary care hospital in north India

Shiv Lal Soni  1 , Kamal Kajal  1 , L N Yaddanapudi  1 , Pankaj Malhotra  2 , Goverdhan Dutt Puri  1 , Ashish Bhalla  2 , Mini P Singh  3 , Inderpaul Singh Sehgal  4 , Vipin Koushal  5 , Neelam Varma  6 , Manisha Biswal  7 , P V M Lakshmi  8 , Sadhna Sharma  9 , Vikas Suri  2 , Z Deepy  9 , Sant Ram  9 , Jaivinder Yadav  10 , Navin Pandey  5 , Prashant Sharma  11 , Nabhajit Malik  11 , Kapil Goyal  3 , Aseem Mehra  12 , Swapnajeet Sahoo  12 , Ritin Mohindra  2 , Jijo Francis  1 , Mudit Bhargava  2 , Karan Singla  1 , Preena Babu  1 , Amiy Verma  1 , Niranjan Shiwaji Khaire  2 , R R Guru  5
Affiliations

Demographic & clinical profile of patients with COVID-19 at a tertiary care hospital in north India

Shiv Lal Soni et al. Indian J Med Res. 2021.

Abstract

Background & objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a major public health emergency affecting the healthcare services all over the world. It is essential to analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in different parts of our country. This study highlights clinical experience in managing patients with COVID-19 at a tertiary care centre in northern India.

Methods: Clinical characteristics and outcomes of consecutive adults patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital at Chandigarh, India, from April 1 to May 25, 2020 were studied. The diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on throat and/or nasopharyngeal swabs. All patients were managed according to the institute's consensus protocol and in accordance with Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines.

Results: During the study period, 114 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were admitted. The history of contact with COVID-19-affected individuals was available in 75 (65.8%) patients. The median age of the patients was 33.5 yr (13-79 yr), and there were 66 (58%) males. Of the total enrolled patients, 48 (42%) were symptomatic. The common presenting complaints were fever (37, 77%), cough (26, 54%) and shortness of breath (10, 20.8%). Nineteen (17%) patients had hypoxia (SpO2<94%) at presentation and 36 (31%) had tachypnoea (RR >24). Thirty four (29.8%) patients had an accompanying comorbid illness. Age more than 60 yr and presence of diabetes and hypertension were significantly associated with severe COVID-19 disease. Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) was needed in 18 patients (52%), with three (2.6%) patients requiring assisted ventilation. Mortality of 2.6 per cent (3 patients) was observed.

Interpretation & conclusions: Majority of the patients with COVID-19 infection presenting to our hospital were young and asymptomatic. Fever was noted only in three-fourth of the patients and respiratory symptoms in half of them. Patients with comorbidities were more vulnerable to complications. Triaged classification of patients and protocol-based treatment resulted in good outcomes and low case fatality.

Keywords: Acute respiratory distress syndrome; COVID-19; India; comorbidities; hypoxia; pandemic; pneumonia.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Comment in

  • The role of demography in COVID-19 in India.
    Roy MP. Roy MP. Indian J Med Res. 2022 Oct-Nov;156(4&5):691. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_1400_21. Indian J Med Res. 2022. PMID: 36510883 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Authors' response.
    Singh S, Sinha VK, Singh S, Kapoor L, Praharaj SK, Tikka SK, Singh LK. Singh S, et al. Indian J Med Res. 2022 Oct-Nov;156(4&5):690. doi: 10.4103/0971-5916.371295. Indian J Med Res. 2022. PMID: 36926790 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Authors' response.
    Soni SL, Kajal K, Yaddanapudi LN, Malhotra P, Puri GD, Bhalla A, Singh MP, Sehgal IS, Koushal V, Varma N, Biswal M, M Lakshmi PV, Sharma S, Suri V, Deepy Z, Ram S, Yadav J, Pandey N, Sharma P, Malik N, Goyal K, Mehra A, Sahoo S, Mohindra R, Francis J, Bhargava M, Singla K, Babu P, Verma A, Khaire NS, Guru RR. Soni SL, et al. Indian J Med Res. 2022 Oct-Nov;156(4&5):691-692. doi: 10.4103/0971-5916.371296. Indian J Med Res. 2022. PMID: 36926791 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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