Clinical Profile and Treatment of COVID-19 Patients: Experiences from an Ethiopian Treatment Center

Seid Getahun Abdela; Seid Hassen Abegaz; Wondmagegn Demsiss; Koku Tamirat; Saskia van Henten; Johan Van Griensven

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.20-1356

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Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Clinical Profile and Treatment of COVID-19 Patients: Experiences from an Ethiopian Treatment Center

Seid Getahun Abdela, Seid Hassen Abegaz, Wondmagegn Demsiss, Koku Tamirat, Saskia van Henten and Johan Van Griensven

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, Vol.104(2), pp.532-536

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-1356

PMID: 33382029

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Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Science & Technology

Tropical Medicine

COVID-19 is not well studied in Africa. Understanding the clinical profile and management of COVID-19 will help to plan better prevention and treatment strategies taking the local context into consideration. In this study, we described the clinical profile, treatment used, and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in one of the COVID-19 treatment centers of Ethiopia, Boru Meda Hospital. An institution-based retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out using medical records of COVID-19 patients who were admitted to Boru Meda Hospital with a positive reverse transcription (RT)-PCR result from May 9, 2020 to September 20, 2020. All patients with a positive RT-PCR were admitted to the hospital, regardless of symptom and severity status. A total of 279 COVID-19 patients were included in the final analysis. The median age of patients was 28 years (interquartile range 23-40). The majority (69.5%) were male. Around a quarter (n = 73; 26.2%) of the patients were symptomatic, of which cough (n = 49; 67.1%) and fever (n = 32; 43.8%) were common symptoms. Among symptomatic patients, 48 (65.8%) were mild, four (5.5%) moderate, 12 (16.4%) severe, and nine (12.3%) were critical. The case fatality rate was 2.1%. Hypertension, age older than 25 years, and HIV/AIDS were significantly associated with symptomatic infection. In this study, most of the COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic. However, the proportion of severe and critical patients among those with symptoms was high. More studies are needed to assess the effect of HIV/AIDS on the severity and mortality of COVID-19.

Details

Title: Clinical Profile and Treatment of COVID-19 Patients: Experiences from an Ethiopian Treatment Center
Authors/Creators: Seid Getahun Abdela - Wollo University
Seid Hassen Abegaz - Boru Meda Hosp, Dessie, Ethiopia
Wondmagegn Demsiss - Wollo University
Koku Tamirat - University of Gondar
Saskia van Henten - Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde
Johan Van Griensven - Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde
Publication Details: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, Vol.104(2), pp.532-536
Publisher: American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
Number of pages: 5
Identifiers: 991005910760707891
Murdoch Affiliation: Ngangk Yira Institute for Change
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.104 Virology - General; 1.104.1353 Coronavirus Research
Web Of Science research areas: Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Tropical Medicine
ESI research areas: Clinical Medicine