A Comparative COVID 19 Characterizations and Clinical Course Analysis between ICU and Non ICU Settings

Objective: With COVID-19 pandemic severely affecting India and Ahmedabad city being one accounting for half COVID cases, objective was to determine disease course and severity of in patients at a COVID care hospital. Design: A Clinical trial registry of India registered observational study (CTRI/2020/05/025247). Setting: Certified COVID hospital located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Participants: 549 COVID positive patients hospitalized between 15 th May to 10 th August, 2020 and treated in ICU and non ICU settings. Main Outcome Measure: Comparative analysis of demographic, clinical characteristics, investigations, treatment, complications and outcome of COVID patients in ICU and non ICU settings. Results: Of the 549 hospitalized COVID positive patients, 159 were admitted in ICU during disease course while 390 had ward admissions. Overall median age was 52 (1-86) years. The ICU group was older (>65years), with associated comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes (p<0.001); higher proportion of males (79.25%); with dyspnea as a major clinical characteristic and consolidation in lungs as a major radiological finding as compared to ward patients. C - reactive protein, D-Dimer and Ferritin were higher in ICU patients. Overall 50% females depicted elevated Ferritin levels. Steriods(92.45%)and tocilizumab (69.18%) were more frequently used for ICU patients . Remdesivir was prescribed to both ICU and non ICU patients. Favirapir was also a line of treatment for 25% of ICU patients. Convalescent plasma therapy was given to 7 ICU patients. Complications like acute kidney injury (13.84%), shock (10.69 %), sepsis and encephalopathy were observed in ICU patients. Overall mortality rate was 5.47 % with higher mortality among males in comparison to females (p<0.0001). Conclusion: About 29% of overall patients required ICU admission that was commonly elderly males. Chances of ICU admission were higher with baselines comorbidities (1.5 times) and dyspnea (3.4 times) respectively. A multi-specialty COVID care team and updated treatment protocols improves outcomes.