tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Travel Med Infect Dis
. 2021 Apr 17;102064.
doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102064. Online ahead of print.
Epidemiological and Clinical Presentations of Hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Libya: an initial report from Africa
Muhammed Elhadi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmed Abdulhakim Momen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ahmed Alsoufi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ahmed Msherghi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ahmed Zaid[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Osama Mohamed Ali Senussi Abdulhadi[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ahmed Elhadi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Hamza Bilaid Omar Elfandi[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Abdullatif Muhammad Salam Alshammam[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Ahmed Khalifa Hadreiez[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Mohammed Tawfik Abdulsalam Elbulati[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Mohamed Abdulla Almahdi El Bibas[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Abdulhamed Amer Mohamed Benaser[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Mohamed Mahfud Rajab Zendah[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Alauldin Ali Mohammed Makhlouf[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Mohamed Abdulelah Abdulhamed[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Mahmoud Mohamed BenSuleiman[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Asel Omar Amer[SUP] 18 [/SUP], Mosab Abdelrazak A Shaban[SUP] 19 [/SUP], Hazem Abdelkarem Faraj[SUP] 20 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: The first case of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Libya was diagnosed in March 2020. We aimed to determine the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 in Libya.
Method: In this retrospective descriptive study, we analyzed the demographics, initial clinical presentation, history, comorbidities, laboratory findings, complications, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at several centers in the Western part of Libya between March 24, 2020, and December 3, 2020.
Results: The study included 811 (67.2%) men and 396 (32.8%) women. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 56 (40 - 64). A total of 173 (14.3%) patients developed respiratory distress syndrome, while 70 (5.8%) developed circulatory shock and hypotension; 190 (15.7%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. Acute cardiac injury occurred in 27 (2.2%) patients, and 45 (3.7%) developed arrhythmia. Acute kidney injury occurred in 44 (3.6%) patients. Of the patients admitted during the study period, 149 (12.3%) died. The predominant comorbidities ordered in a descending manner were as follows; diabetes mellitus, presented 490 (40.6%), hypertension in 414 (34.3%), chronic kidney disease in 114 (9.4%), and lung diseases in 103 (8.5%). The total white blood cell, neutrophil; monocyte; D-dimer; creatinine kinase; creatine kinase-MB; creatinine; total bilirubin; alanine and aspartate aminotransferase; and hypersensitive troponin were increased among non-survivors, whereas lymphocyte and platelet counts were decreased among non-survivors.
Conclusion: This is the first report of the clinical presentations and laboratory findings in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Libya. Libyan authorities must implement several restrictions to control the pandemic. However, incoming international travelers pose a challenge to the local authorities, especially with the recent discovery of new variants.
Keywords: Africa; comorbidity; coronavirus; epidemiology; respiratory distress syndrome; severe acute respiratory syndrome.
. 2021 Apr 17;102064.
doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102064. Online ahead of print.
Epidemiological and Clinical Presentations of Hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Libya: an initial report from Africa
Muhammed Elhadi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmed Abdulhakim Momen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ahmed Alsoufi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ahmed Msherghi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ahmed Zaid[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Osama Mohamed Ali Senussi Abdulhadi[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Ahmed Elhadi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Hamza Bilaid Omar Elfandi[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Abdullatif Muhammad Salam Alshammam[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Ahmed Khalifa Hadreiez[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Mohammed Tawfik Abdulsalam Elbulati[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Mohamed Abdulla Almahdi El Bibas[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Abdulhamed Amer Mohamed Benaser[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Mohamed Mahfud Rajab Zendah[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Alauldin Ali Mohammed Makhlouf[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Mohamed Abdulelah Abdulhamed[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Mahmoud Mohamed BenSuleiman[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Asel Omar Amer[SUP] 18 [/SUP], Mosab Abdelrazak A Shaban[SUP] 19 [/SUP], Hazem Abdelkarem Faraj[SUP] 20 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33878449
- DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102064
Abstract
Background: The first case of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Libya was diagnosed in March 2020. We aimed to determine the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 in Libya.
Method: In this retrospective descriptive study, we analyzed the demographics, initial clinical presentation, history, comorbidities, laboratory findings, complications, and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at several centers in the Western part of Libya between March 24, 2020, and December 3, 2020.
Results: The study included 811 (67.2%) men and 396 (32.8%) women. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 56 (40 - 64). A total of 173 (14.3%) patients developed respiratory distress syndrome, while 70 (5.8%) developed circulatory shock and hypotension; 190 (15.7%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. Acute cardiac injury occurred in 27 (2.2%) patients, and 45 (3.7%) developed arrhythmia. Acute kidney injury occurred in 44 (3.6%) patients. Of the patients admitted during the study period, 149 (12.3%) died. The predominant comorbidities ordered in a descending manner were as follows; diabetes mellitus, presented 490 (40.6%), hypertension in 414 (34.3%), chronic kidney disease in 114 (9.4%), and lung diseases in 103 (8.5%). The total white blood cell, neutrophil; monocyte; D-dimer; creatinine kinase; creatine kinase-MB; creatinine; total bilirubin; alanine and aspartate aminotransferase; and hypersensitive troponin were increased among non-survivors, whereas lymphocyte and platelet counts were decreased among non-survivors.
Conclusion: This is the first report of the clinical presentations and laboratory findings in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Libya. Libyan authorities must implement several restrictions to control the pandemic. However, incoming international travelers pose a challenge to the local authorities, especially with the recent discovery of new variants.
Keywords: Africa; comorbidity; coronavirus; epidemiology; respiratory distress syndrome; severe acute respiratory syndrome.