Rediet Assefa Gudeta¹, Muluken Alemayehu Workiye², Rosa Tadesse Tsehaye¹, Atiklet Zerihun Zewdie^3,, Henok Bahru Wodajeneh³, Beimnet Ayenew Tamene⁴, Eyosias Lemma Teshome⁵, Ayanaw Guadie Mamo⁶, Eyerusalem Yalew Talemma⁷, Dereje Nigatu Elala⁸, Ermias Fikru Yesuf⁹, Asnake Abebe Kotu⁵

Background: The world is facing unprecedented health crisis that is caused by pandemic novel coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2. The numbers of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 admitted to intensive care unit is escalating in Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to identify the clinical characteristics and inpatient treatment outcome of critically ill patients of coronavirus disease 2019 at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. Method: A five-month retrospective cross-sectional study was be employed at covid intensive care unit of St. Paul’s hospital millennium medical college. Review of records of all patients admitted from January 1, 2021, to May 30, 2021, was carried out. Information on socio-demographic characters, characteristic of patients, comorbidities, and laboratory investigations on admission and throughout their stay, and outcomes was be documented. Data was compiled and analyzed using SPSS Statistics Version 26. Results: One hundred and eighty-five COVID-19 positive patients were admitted to St. Paul’s Medical Millennium Medical College during the study period. Of these, 132 (71.35%) were managed with invasive mechanical ventilation. 77.3% had died and 22.7% were discharged after improvement. Male gender had a significantly higher rate of death when compared with female p=0.044 (OR=0.173, 95% CI=0.33-0.93). Deceased patients were older (63.91 ± 13.33 Vs 49.55 ± 12.91 years, p <0.001) and had coexisting medical illness (114 (79.7%) Vs 12 (28.6%), p <0.001), a lower level of lymphocytes (5.10 ± 4.75 Vs 7.29 ± 5.27, p=0.023) and peak Alanine aminotransferase, neutrophils and potassium levels compared to survivors. 86.4% of patients who received mechanical ventilation had died. Compared to the survivors, deceased patients received mechanical ventilation significantly p<0.001. Conversely, 67.4% of patients aged 70 or younger survived to hospital discharge. Older age, male gender, tachycardia at admission, history of co-existing illness, need for mechanical ventilation, increased serum potassium and ALT, decreased lymphocyte levels were associated with high risk of mortality.

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 infection, coronavirus, intensive care unit, treatment outcome