Open AccessClinical characteristics and outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients in Sfax, Tunisia
Author(s) -
Mabrouk Bahloul,
Sana Kharrat,
Kamilia Chtara,
Malek Hafdhi,
Olfa Turki,
Najeh Baccouche,
Rania Ammar,
N. Kallel,
Majdi Hsairi,
Olfa Chakroun-Walha,
Chokri Ben Hamida,
Hédi Chelly,
Khaiereddine Ben Mahfoudh,
Abelhamid Karoui,
H. Karray,
Noureddine Rekik,
Mounir Bouaziz
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
acute and critical care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.345
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 2586-6060
pISSN - 2586-6052
DOI - 10.4266/acc.2021.00129
Subject(s) - medicine , mechanical ventilation , intensive care unit , retrospective cohort study , odds ratio , respiratory failure , confidence interval , mortality rate , intensive care , respiratory distress , cohort , intensive care medicine , surgery
Background: Africa, like the rest of the world, has been impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, only a few studies covering this subject in Africa have been published. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of critically ill adult COVID-19 patients—all of whom had a confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection—admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Habib Bourguiba University Hospital (Sfax, Tunisia). Results: A total of 96 patients were admitted into our ICU for respiratory distress due to COVID-19 infection. Mean age was 62.4±12.8 years and median age was 64 years. Mean PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 105±60 and ≤300 in all cases but one. Oxygen support was required for all patients (100%) and invasive mechanical ventilation for 38 (40%). Prone positioning was applied in 37 patients (38.5%). Within the study period, 47 of the 96 patients died (49%). Multivariate analysis showed that the factors associated with poor outcome were the development of acute renal failure (odds ratio [OR], 6.7), the use of mechanical ventilation (OR, 5.8), and serum cholinesterase (SChE) activity lower than 5,000 UI/L (OR, 5.9). Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients admitted to the ICU in Sfax, Tunisia, for acute respiratory failure following COVID-19 infection, the mortality rate was high. The development of acute renal failure, the use of mechanical ventilation, and SChE activity lower than 5000 UI/L were associated with a poor outcome.