Evaluation of re-hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a hospital

This study intends to investigate the reasons for re-hospitalization, complaints, and prognoses of COVID-19 patients after being discharged.

COVID-19 patients who were re-hospitalized at the Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital were examined. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), tomography and laboratory results, demographic characteristics, and prognostic results were recorded retrospectively.

A total of 60 patients, including 26 males (43.3%) and 34 females (56.7%), with repeated admissions to the hospital for COVID-19 symptoms, were included in the study with a mean age of 56.9 (± 22.5) (median value = 61, age range = 3-88). The number of days of the second hospitalization was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05). Patient age and number of days of hospitalization were strongly positively correlated (p < 0.01). A total of 11 patients (18%) had negative results in their first RT-PCR and subsequently tested positive in their second hospitalization. In addition, 10 (17.5%) of the patients who underwent thoracic tomography had unilateral involvement, 34 (59.6%) had bilateral involvement, and 13 (22.8%) had no significant results. Note that 4 (6.6%) of the patients re-hospitalized died in the hospital, while 56 (93.4%) were discharged once more. All of the four patients that died were female with a mean age of 81.5 years.

Particularly patients with advanced age and comorbidities should be examined more carefully when discharged; if their complaints are repeated, they should be advised to quickly contact the emergency service.