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The natural history of symptomatic COVID-19 during the first wave in Catalonia

Edward Burn1,2, Cristian Tebé3,4, Sergio Fernandez-Bertolin1

  • 1Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol), Barcelona, Spain.

Nature Communications
|February 4, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study analyzed COVID-19 outcomes in over 5.5 million people in Catalonia, Spain. Older age, male sex, and comorbidities were linked to worse outcomes, highlighting the need for targeted protection and care.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • The natural history and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) require further elucidation.
  • Understanding population-level impacts is crucial for effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize COVID-19 outcomes in Catalonia, Spain, using a large, population-based dataset.
  • To identify risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized patient-level data from the Information System for Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP).
  • Included 5,586,521 individuals from the general population.
  • Analyzed data for outpatient diagnoses, hospitalizations, and deaths related to COVID-19 between March 1 and May 6, 2020.

Main Results:

  • 102,002 individuals received an outpatient diagnosis of COVID-19.
  • 16,901 individuals were hospitalized with COVID-19.
  • 5,273 deaths were recorded following COVID-19 diagnosis or hospitalization.
  • Older age, male sex, and comorbidities were associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Findings underscore the critical need to protect high-risk populations, especially older adults, from COVID-19.
  • Emphasizes the importance of providing appropriate care for symptomatic COVID-19 cases.
  • Suggests that while younger populations face lower risks, limiting their role in community transmission remains important.

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