The peculiarities of patients with COVID-19 infection

Abstract

Background: The surge demand and decreased availability of the health workers determined the designation of the Clinical Municipal Hospital of Phthisiopneumology (CMHP) into a hospital for the case-management of COVID-19 patients during the period of December 2020 – April 2021 for the treatment of the mild cases. The aim of the study was to assess the main peculiarities of the patients with COVID-19 through a cross-sectional study developed during the period February-April 2021 in the CMHP. Material and methods: A cross-sectional, analytical and prospective study was realized, which included 145 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the CMHP during February-April 2021. The inclusion criteria were: patient older 18 years, COVID-19 infection diagnosed by the pulmonologist with the positive polymerase chain reaction result for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and signed informed consent. Results: The peculiarities of patients with COVID-19 were dominated by the female sex, age over 60 years, residence in the urban districts of Chisinau and the infection acquired in the Republic of Moldova. Common clinical manifestations were: high temperature, profuse sweats, asthenia and headaches, productive cough, dyspnea, loss of smell or taste, and sore throat. The typical radiological findings such ground-glass pattern or consolidation with bilateral multifocal involvement were most frequent. Were cured most of the patients and the death rate was low. Conclusions: Peculiarities and clinical manifestations of the patients admitted in CMHP were typical for the COVID-19 infection. These findings did not show the real outcome of the standard case-management of the COVID-19 due to the restricted admission criteria.