Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in a tertiary health facility in northeast Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a newly identified β-coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2), has a varied clinical manifestation. We evaluated the clinical features of COVID-19 in symptomatic patients that presented for care at a Federal Medical Centre Nguru, Northeast Nigeria. Methodology: In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed and analyzed relevant information abstracted from the medical records of symptomatic COVID-19 patients that were managed from March 14 to October 14, 2020, in the facility. Results: Clinical records of 55 symptomatic COVID-19 patients were evaluated in this study. Their mean age was 49.1 ± 16.3 (females 51.4 ± 15.6, males 48.5 ± 17.2, P = 0.601) with females constituting 47.2% of the studied patients. Fever (87.3%), cough (67.3%), sore throat (49.1%) and rhinorrhea (41.8%) were the most common clinical feature. Other features included difficulty in breathing (25.5%) and ageusia (14.6%). Gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain were seen in 10.9%, 18.2%, and 9.1%, respectively. Twenty-one (38.2%) patients had a preexisting health condition. Chronic kidney disease was the most common; it was seen in 34% of patients, other common conditions included hypertensive heart disease (24%), and diabetes mellitus (16%). Conclusion: Respiratory symptoms are the most common presentation of COVID-19 in our setting. However, some patients also presented with additional extrapulmonary symptoms. A significant proportion, 38.2% of symptomatic COVID-19 patients, had preexisting health conditions.