Clinical characteristics and predictors of mortality in African‐Americans with COVID‐19 from an inner‐city community teaching hospital in New York

Gayam, Vijay; Chobufo, Muchi Ditah; Merghani, Mohamed A.; Lamichanne, Shristi; Garlapati, Pavani Reddy; Adler, Mark K

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on the clinical presentation and predictors of mortality in the African‐American(AA) patients hospitalized with COVID‐19 despite the disproportionately higher burden and mortality. The aim of this study is to report on the clinical characteristics and the predictors of mortality in hospitalized AA patients with COVID‐19 infection. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort review, we included all AA patients with confirmed COVID‐19 infection admitted to an inner‐city teaching community hospital in New York City. Demographics, clinical presentation, baseline co‐morbidities, and laboratory data were compared between survivors and non‐survivors. The predictors of mortality were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 408 (median age, 67years) patients included, 276(66.65%, median age 63years) survived while 132(33.35%, median age 71years) died. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, myalgia, fever/chills, shortness of breath, and gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain), with a prevalence of 62.50%, 43.87%, 53.68%, and 27.21%, respectively. Age (OR 1.06, CI 1.04‐1.08, P‐<0.001), body mass index (OR 1.07, CI 1.04‐1.11, P‐<0.001), elevated serum ferritin(OR 1.99, CI 1.08‐3.66, P‐0.02), C‐reactive protein (OR 2.42, CI 1.36‐4.33, P‐0.01), and D‐dimers(OR 3.79, CI 2.21‐6.50, P‐<0.001) at the time of presentation were identified as the independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Cough, shortness of breath, fever/chills, gastrointestinal symptoms, and myalgia were the predominant presentation among African‐Americans hospitalized with COVID‐19 infection. Advanced age, higher BMI, elevated serum ferritin, C‐reactive protein, and D‐dimers are independent predictors of mortality among hospitalized African‐Americans with COVID‐19 infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.