Original Articles CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF COVID-19 DISEASE, ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SODIUM LEVELS AND PAO2/FIO2 RATIO, EFFECT OF STRESS ON MORTALITY RATE AND SMOKING PREVALENCE

Abstract

Objective:

To describe clinical parameters, risk factors, lab parameters, and association of these parameters with the severity of disease in admitted COVID-19 patients at Corona Unit Farooq Hospital Iqbal Town Branch Lahore.

Material and Methods:

 This was a retrospective study conducted on 43 admitted patients from 10th June 2020 to 14th July 2020. All the patients were presented with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and were PCR positive for Corona Virus.

Results:

Of All 43 patients, 16% of patients were presented with pulmonary symptoms & Encephalitis (responded to Acyclovir) and 84% with solely pulmonary symptoms (ARDS). The mean age among these patients was 59. About 23% of patients were presented with Moderate Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), 28% Mild, and 49% Severe ARDS. According to HRCT Chest there was 30% involvement of lung tissue was seen in 6.96% patients, 40% in 30.23%, 50% in 4.65%, 60% in 11.63%, 70% in 27.91% and 80% in 18.60%. Among the Risk Factors Diabetes Mellitus was seen in 74.42% patients, pulmonary diseases 23.26%, Hypertension 41.86%, IHD 30.23%, cerebral palsy 4.65%, chronic kidney disease 6.98% and the smoker was only 11.63%. Among Lab Parameters Ferritin Levels were raised in all patients, D-Dimer 60.47%, Liver Function Tests (LFTs) 79.07%, RFTs (Renal Function Tests) 27.91%, CRP 97.67%, LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) 95.53%, Hemoglobin below normal was only in 6.98% and TLC was raised in 23.26 % patients. Plasma therapy was effective in 41.67%. Among the stressed patients at our Corona unit, 67% of patients were expired. Tocilizumab was seen effective in 61.54% of patients. CPAP was effective in 76.47% of patients. Decreased Levels of Sodium was Directly proportional to PaO2/FiO2. Among these patients only 18.60% of patients were expired, 9.30% were Discharged on request (clinically improved),72.0% of patients were recovered.

Conclusion:

We feel that the findings described here, might be of interest to extensive further evaluation by the scientific community. As smoking prevalence was least in our admitted COVID-19 patients, a significant correlation was seen among sodium level and PaO2/FiO2 Ratio and higher mortality rate among the stressed patients.