The COVID19 Experience: Preliminary Results in 1651 Patients at Two Multi-Ethnic Community Hospitals in NYC

New York City was one of the first epicenters of the COVID19 pandemic in the United States, and continues to be the hardest hit in terms of the number of total hospitalizations and deaths. As the pandemic has spread, it has become evident that the virus disproportionately affects minority populations and may result in more adverse outcomes. The multi-ethnic communities of Queens, NY, some of which include large proportions of low socio-economic and immigrant families, provide a unique opportunity to observe the COVID19 experience at the height of the pandemic. This information allows clinicians and researchers to learn more about the presentation and course of disease in a diverse sample. An estimated 2800 patients admitted for COVID19 were seen between March 10 and May 31 2020 (not including asymptomatic positive patients). A sample of 1651 were included in these preliminary analyses (806 from hospital A and 845 from hospital B).Most patients were male(62%) with mean age 67(16.1). Ethnicities were 33% Hispanic, 24% Black, 18% Asian, 17% White, and 8% other/unknown. At presentation, half had HR>100 and/or RR>20;25% had fever>100.5F. Symptoms included dyspnea(69%), cough(60%), fever(58%), weakness/fatigue(42%), myalgia(24%), AMS/confusion(21%), and GI complaints(20%). Comorbidities were HTN(65%), DM(43%), HLD(43%), CAD(19%), CKD(15%), CVA(10%) and COPD/asthma(10%). Complications included sepsis(44%), AKI/ARF(36%), intubation(24%), and arrhythmias(7%). Disposition included 29% home, 18% to skilled nursing facility, and 36% expired.In our cohort of mainly minority patients from low to middle class urban neighborhoods, presence of comorbidies was higher than in other reported cohorts in the region. Though presenting symptoms were similar to other New York City hospitals, clinical course was poorer, with over 1/3 of patients expiring. Further analyses will concentrate on predictors of poor outcome within and between racial/ethnic groups in the complete cohort of eligible patients.