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Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses
Published on: November 10, 2023
Characteristics, risk factors and outcomes among the first consecutive 1096 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in
Sulaiman Almazeedi1, Sarah Al-Youha1, Mohammad H Jamal1
1COVID-19 Research Group, Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital, Kuwait.
Insights
This study of 1096 COVID-19 patients in Kuwait found that most were asymptomatic. Risk factors for intensive care admission included age over 50, smoking, and elevated inflammatory markers.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Kuwait implemented early mass screening of travelers, identifying initial COVID-19 cases.
- All diagnosed COVID-19 patients were managed at a single center, Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital, ensuring standardized care.
- This created a unique cohort for studying the novel coronavirus disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the demographics of COVID-19 patients in Kuwait.
- To describe the clinical manifestations and outcomes of COVID-19 in this population.
- To identify risk factors associated with severe disease and mortality.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study included 1096 COVID-19 patients admitted to Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital from February 24 to April 20, 2020.
- Standardized investigations and treatments were administered to all patients.
- Multivariable analysis identified risk factors for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality.
Main Results:
- The median age was 41 years, with 81% of patients being male.
- A significant proportion of patients were asymptomatic on admission (46.3%).
- Only 3.6% required ICU admission, and 1.7% died. Risk factors for ICU admission included age >50, smoking, elevated CRP, and procalcitonin. Asthma, smoking, and elevated procalcitonin were associated with mortality.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights a low rate of severe outcomes in Kuwait's initial COVID-19 cohort.
- Age, smoking, and specific inflammatory markers (CRP, procalcitonin) are key predictors of severe disease and mortality.
- Findings underscore the importance of early detection and risk factor identification in managing COVID-19 outbreaks.
Background:
In Kuwait, prior to the first case of COVID-19 being reported in the country, mass screening of incoming travelers from countries with known outbreaks was performed and resulted in the first identified cases in the country. All COVID-19 cases at the time and subsequently after, were transferred to a single center, Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital, where the patients received standardized investigations and treatments. The objective of this study was to characterize the demographics, clinical manifestations, and outcomes in this unique patient population.
Methods:
This retrospective cohort study was conducted between 24th February 2020 and 20th April 2020. All consecutive patients in the entire State of Kuwait diagnosed with COVID-19 according to WHO guidelines and admitted to Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital were included. Patients received standardized investigations and treatments. Multivariable analysis was used to determine the associations between risk factors and outcomes (admission to intensive care and/or mortality).
Findings:
Of 1096 patients, the median age was 41 years and 81% of patients were male. Most patients were asymptomatic on admission (46.3%), of whom 35 later developed symptoms, and 59.7% had no signs of infection. Only 3.6% of patients required an ICU admission and 1.7% were dead at the study's cutoff date. On multivariable analysis, the risk factors found to be significantly associated with admission to intensive care were age above 50 years old, a qSOFA score above 0, smoking, elevated CRP and elevated procalcitonin levels. Asthma, smoking and elevated procalcitonin levels correlated significantly with mortality in our cohort.
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