CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 MORTALITY: A RECORD-BASED STUDY IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.24/no.2/art.2386Keywords:
comorbidities, COVID-19, Epidemiology, mortality, United Arab Emirates.Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical and epidemiological factors and mortality in COVID-19 patients. The motivation for conducting this research stemmed from the absence of prior studies in the northern region of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) exploring the clinical and epidemiological factors contributing to COVID-19-related mortality. This study, based on electronic health records, was conducted at a secondary care hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, from April 2020 to May 2021. Patient data including gender, age, the presence of comorbidities such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Hypertension (HTN), cardiovascular disease (CVD), Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), Chronic Liver Disease (CLD), Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), Cancer and outcomes, were extracted from the Ministry of Health and Prevention's electronic records. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 28. The chi-square test assessed associations between dependent and independent variables, and binary logistic regression determined crude and adjusted Odds Ratios (OR). The study included 1,482 COVID-19 patients, 1,045 (70.5%) males. The average patient age was 51.4 years, with more than half of the patients aged 45 or older. Among them, 548 (39.3%) had DM, 448 (32.1%) had HTN, 143 (10.2%) had CVD, 115 (8.2%) had CKD, 17 (1.2%) had CLD, 47 (3.4%) had CRD, and 13 (0.9%) had Cancer. Of the total, 198 (13.4%) patients succumbed to the disease, 1,198 (80.8%) were discharged with medical approval, 36 (2.4%) were discharged for acute care, 49 (3.3%) left against medical advice, and one patient was absent without leave (AWOL). The Chi-square test revealed no statistically significant association between outcomes and gender. However, statistically significant associations were found between outcomes and DM (P<0.01), HTN (P<0.001), CVD (P<0.001), CKD (P<0.05), and CRD (P<0.01). No significant associations were observed between CLD, Cancer and outcomes. Age was significantly associated with outcomes (P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that as age increased, the odds of mortality also increased, with odds ratios of 11.7, 28.9, and 80.3 for ages 45-59, 60-74, and >74 years, respectively. For patients with DM, HTN, CVD, CKD and CRD, the chances of death were 1.5, 2.4, 2.1, 1.8 and 2.7 times higher respectively. Adjusted ORs revealed that the only significant variables were age (OR 12.9 for ages 45-59 years, 31.3 for 60-74 years, and 86 for >74 years) and CRD (OR=2.2). This study concludes that mortality among COVID-19 patients significantly increases in adults aged 45 and above. Additionally, chronic respiratory disease significantly contributes to COVID-19 mortality. These findings have potential implications for managing COVID-19 in regions with similar social and multicultural backgrounds.
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