Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of Severity in Covid-19 Patients in Lahore, Pakistan

Background: The coronavirus disease outbreak of 2019 (COVID-19) has developed into a global emergency. COVID-19's severity is strongly correlated with its mortality rate. We aimed to examine the demographic, medical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of 120 patients affected by COVID-19. Methods: 120 COVID-19 infected- patients who tested positive from the throat swab specimen on quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (q RT-PCR) were included. Demographic, clinical, radiographic, and laboratory data were obtained and analyzed. Results: Male gender, urban residence, current smoker, exposure history, sore-throat, dyspnoea, cough, headache, diarrhea, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, and cancer, decreased level of hemoglobin and albumin and increased level of lymphocyte count, leukocyte count, LDH level, D-dimer, serum ferritin, total bilirubin, urea level (p-value < 0.05) were contributing factors towards disease severity. In the binary logistic regression model LDH (OR 1.002, [CI, 1.001-1.003]; p = 0.001), and D-dimer (OR 1.377, [CI, 1.161-1.633]; p=0.001) were independent predictors of disease severity. Conclusion: Appropriate evaluation of prognostic factors and provision of the appropriate interventions in high-risk patients can decrease the mortality associated with COVID-19