Impact of Comorbidities on Patients with COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a global health crisis, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. As the pandemic has evolved, a critical aspect that has garnered significant attention is the impact of comorbidities on the severity and outcomes of COVID-19. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of comorbidities on patients with COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Department of Reproductive and Child Health, National Institutes of Public Health and Social Medicine in Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the period from January to December 2020. Total 202 women diagnosed with Covid-19 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups; patients with comorbidities and patients without comorbidities, each containing 101 patients. Result: Patients with comorbidities were older and had higher BMI compared to those without comorbidities. Common symptoms like fever and cough showed no significant difference between groups, but shortness of breath and dyspnea were more prevalent in patients with comorbidities. Hypertension (64.4%) and diabetes (51.5%) were the most frequent comorbidities. Laboratory findings indicated higher inflammation and organ stress in comorbid patients, with elevated white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, ferritin, and liver enzymes. Clinical outcomes were more severe in the comorbid group, with higher rates of hospitalization (94.1% vs. 74.3%), ICU admission (39.6% vs. 19.8%), and mortality (19.8% vs. 5.0%). Conclusion: This study concludes that patients with comorbidities are in higher risk. Patients with comorbidities manifests more severe symptoms and clinical feature with higher mortality rate.