CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND HOSPITAL OUTCOMES OF COVID-19 PATIENTS DURING ALL THREE WAVES, AN EXPERIENCE FROM A RURAL TERTIARY CARE CENTER, EASTERN UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Abstract

Objective: In this study, an attempt has been made to report the clinical profile, exposure characteristics and outcomes of the COVID-19 patients admitted to our rural tertiary care facility. Methods: It is a single-centric retrospective observational study and includes data from January 2020 to March 2022. The data were retrieved from patient files. We have recorded patient demography, clinical and laboratory parameters and outcome of the patients. Patients were categorized based on disease severity according to WHO guidelines. Appropriate statistical analysis was applied and p value<0.05 was considered as significant. Results: A total of 2339 patients were included in this study. Total males were 67%, mean age group was 45.43±18.48 y (0 to 101 y), with majority belonging to 46-60 y age group (27.2%). Total comorbid patients were 29.3% with 9.4% accounting for more than one comorbidities. Most common comorbidity noted was diabetes mellitus 15.8% followed by hypertension 13.4%. Total mortality was noted to be 16.2%. Fever was the most common symptom (92%) followed by cough (51%) and myalgia (30%). Disease severity and outcome was significantly correlated with advancing age and the presence of underlying comorbidities. Conclusion: Rural population had comparable proportion of comorbidities as well as mortality. Common risk factors for severe disease in rural setting were similar to urban setting and old age and more than one comorbidities. Country-wide rural data should be collected for a better understanding of COVID-19 disease in rural and remote population.