tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2021 Nov 11.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.27449. Online ahead of print.
First wave of COVID-19 in Venezuela: Epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical characteristics of first cases
David A Forero-Peña[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Fhabián S Carrión-Nessi[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Daniela L Mendoza-Millán[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Óscar D Omaña-Ávila[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Mario D Mejía-Bernard[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Natasha A Camejo-Ávila[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], David M Flora-Noda[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Viledy L Velásquez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fabián R Chacón-Labrador[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Juan M Doval-Fernández[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Andrea L Maricuto[SUP] 1 [/SUP], María E Grillet[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Juan V Hernández-Villena[SUP] 5 [/SUP], María F Vincenti-González[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Alberto E Paniz-Mondolfi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], José Orejas[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Verónica I Rodríguez[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mariana B Contreras[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rafael N Guevara[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Martín Carballo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jocays Caldera[SUP] 1 [/SUP], María C Redondo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], María E Landaeta[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID-19 infection from the first confirmed cases through the first epidemic wave in Venezuela.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to a sentinel hospital was carried out, including 576 patient cases subsequently confirmed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Of these, 162 (28.1%) patients met definition criteria for severe/critical disease, and 414 (71.2%) were classified as mild/moderate disease.
Results: The mean age was 47 (SD 16) years, the majority of which were men (59.5%), and the most frequent comorbidity being arterial hypertension (23.3%). The most common symptoms included fever (88.7%), headache (65.6%), and dry cough (63.9%). Severe/critical disease affected mostly older males with low schooling (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher levels of glycemia, urea, aminotransferases, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in severe/critical disease patients compared to those with mild/moderate disease. Overall mortality was 7.6% (44/576), with 41.7% (28/68) dying in hospital.
Conclusions: We identified risk factors related to COVID-19 infection which could help healthcare providers take appropriate measures and prevent severe clinical outcomes. Our results suggest that the mortality registered by this disease in Venezuela during the first epidemic wave was underestimated. An increase in fatalities is expected to occur in the coming months unless measures that are more effective are implemented to mitigate the epidemic while the vaccination process is ongoing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; Clinical characteristics; Epidemiology; SARS-CoV-2; Venezuela.
. 2021 Nov 11.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.27449. Online ahead of print.
First wave of COVID-19 in Venezuela: Epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical characteristics of first cases
David A Forero-Peña[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Fhabián S Carrión-Nessi[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Daniela L Mendoza-Millán[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Óscar D Omaña-Ávila[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Mario D Mejía-Bernard[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Natasha A Camejo-Ávila[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], David M Flora-Noda[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Viledy L Velásquez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fabián R Chacón-Labrador[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Juan M Doval-Fernández[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Andrea L Maricuto[SUP] 1 [/SUP], María E Grillet[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Juan V Hernández-Villena[SUP] 5 [/SUP], María F Vincenti-González[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Alberto E Paniz-Mondolfi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], José Orejas[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Verónica I Rodríguez[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mariana B Contreras[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Rafael N Guevara[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Martín Carballo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jocays Caldera[SUP] 1 [/SUP], María C Redondo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], María E Landaeta[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34761824
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27449
Abstract
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID-19 infection from the first confirmed cases through the first epidemic wave in Venezuela.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to a sentinel hospital was carried out, including 576 patient cases subsequently confirmed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Of these, 162 (28.1%) patients met definition criteria for severe/critical disease, and 414 (71.2%) were classified as mild/moderate disease.
Results: The mean age was 47 (SD 16) years, the majority of which were men (59.5%), and the most frequent comorbidity being arterial hypertension (23.3%). The most common symptoms included fever (88.7%), headache (65.6%), and dry cough (63.9%). Severe/critical disease affected mostly older males with low schooling (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher levels of glycemia, urea, aminotransferases, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in severe/critical disease patients compared to those with mild/moderate disease. Overall mortality was 7.6% (44/576), with 41.7% (28/68) dying in hospital.
Conclusions: We identified risk factors related to COVID-19 infection which could help healthcare providers take appropriate measures and prevent severe clinical outcomes. Our results suggest that the mortality registered by this disease in Venezuela during the first epidemic wave was underestimated. An increase in fatalities is expected to occur in the coming months unless measures that are more effective are implemented to mitigate the epidemic while the vaccination process is ongoing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; Clinical characteristics; Epidemiology; SARS-CoV-2; Venezuela.