Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of the First Month of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Chile

Vial, M. R.; Peters, A.; Perez, I.; Spencer, M.; Barbe, M.; Aylwin, M.; Porte, L.; Weitzel, T.; Vial, P.; Araos, R.; Munita, J. M.

Introduction: Understanding the clinical course and outcomes of patients with Covid-19 in underrepresented populations like Latin America is paramount. In this study, we report the clinical characteristics of Covid-19 in Chile, with a focus on subjects requiring hospitalization during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: This is a single center study including all consecutive patients diagnosed with Covid-19 during the first month of the pandemic. Demographics, clinical characteristics and laboratory data were collected within 24 hours of admission. The primary outcome was a composite of ICU admission or all-cause, in-hospital mortality. Results: During the first month of the pandemic, 381 patients were confirmed as positive for SARS- CoV-2 by molecular testing; 88 (23.1%) of them eventually required hospitalization. Median age of the cohort was 39 years (IQR 31-49). Overall mortality was 0.7% and 18 (3.7%) out of the 88 subjects who required hospitalization either died and/or required ICU. Increased body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein levels (CRP) and the SaTO2/FiO2 index on admission were independently associated with a higher risk of ICU care or death. Discussion: The lower mortality observed in our prospective cohort during the first month of SARS-Cov-2 pandemic was lower than previously reported. This finding could be due to a lower threshold for admission, a healthcare system not yet overburdened and a younger population, among other factors. BMI, CRP on admission were strong predictors for ICU care or all-cause, in- hospital mortality. Our data provide important information regarding the clinical course of Covid- 19 in Latin America.