DEMOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19 IN A PUBLIC REFERENCE HOSPITAL IN PARANÁ

Abstract

The pandemic of respiratory disease caused by a New Coronavirus (called "SARS-CoV-2") has gained global attention and has been recognized as a serious threat to global public health. The aim of this study is to characterize the demographic and clinical profile of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in a public referral hospital in Paraná. Cross-sectional study, with data collection in medical records of patients hospitalized suspected or confirmed in a reference hospital for COVID-19 care, in Paraná, in 2020, evaluating clinical, laboratory and demographic characteristics – presented as median and interquartile interval or percentages. The comparisons were made by the Mann-Whitney U tests, student t or chi-square, as appropriate, adopting a significance level of 5%.  In 2020, 255 patients were hospitalized among suspects and confirmed with COVID-19. Of the total, 185 (72.5%) had a diagnosis of COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR, 58 (22.7%) negative and 6 (2.4%) were not found. We identified an association with confirmed cases of COVID-19, high values of c-reactive protein, ferritin, and pyruvic transaminase (PGT), as well as lower values of urea, creatinine, D-dummer, natriuretic peptide (BNP).  In addition, the lower heart rate was identified as a factor associated with cases of COVID-19.   It is essential to know the history, clinical presentation, and biochemical profile of COVID-19, in order to identify severe cases early, to enable risk stratification and the application of a targeted and specific approach, preventing unfavorable outcomes.