Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Positive Cases: A Prospective Study in a COVID-19 Referral Hospital

Abstract

<i>Background:</i> The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, also referred to as COVID-19, was first identified in China and rapidly spread throughout the globe, leading to a worldwide public health crisis. COVID-19 is an extremely transmissible disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The main symptoms were of heightened body temperature, inflammation of the lungs, breathing difficulties, muscular discomfort or fatigue, headache, hemoptysis, gastrointestinal disturbance, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Objective: To determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Methods: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional prospective investigation in partnership with the Radiology and Imaging department and the Virology and COVID unit at IbnSina Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study took place from January 2022 to June 2022. This study included a cohort of 120 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 and were above the age of 18. The data acquired underwent analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, specifically version 23.0. The study gained ethical clearance from the Ethics Committee of the School of Public Health & Life Science at the University of South Asia, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh<i>. Result:</i> In this study a total of 120 (n=120)) confirmed COVID-19 positive cases were enrolled. According to age distribution, the majority 63 (52.5%) patients belonged to the age group >52 years and followed by 30 (25%) age group (43-52) years, 18 (15%) (33-42) years, 6 (5%) (22-32) years and 3 (2.5%) <22 years. According to sex distribution, the majority, 82 (68%) were male and 38 (32%) were female. According to distribution of residence, the maximum, 96 (80%) were from urban area and 24 (20%) were from rural area Distribution by clinical presentation, general weakness 120 (100%) and followed by sneezing 114 (95%), fever 116 (96.66%), headache 117 (99.16%), cough 115 (95.83%), respiratory distress, 119 (98.33%), cough and SOB, 118 (99.16%), loss of smell, 212 (88.74%), lac of apatite, 116 (96.66%), asthma 81 (68.50%) and pneumonia, 40 (33.33%)., the Majority 116 (96.66%) had Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and followed by 113 (94.16%) had Hypertension (HTN), 7 (5.83%) Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) 22 (18.33%) had Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) and 12 (10%) Thyroid. <i>Conclusions: </i>This study investigated that the highest age group of COVID-19 positive cases was >52 years (52.5%). The majority of the COVID-19 positive cases were male (68%). The majority of the patients were from urban area (80%). Respiratory 119 (98.33) and general weakness 120 (100) were the most common clinical presentations. The maximum patients had Diabetes 116 (96.66% and hypertension 113 (94.16%).