Investigational study of the clinical characteristics of confirmed COVID-19 cases

Baoas, Sharon Desales; Rucinski, James; Zenilman, Michael

Background: The COVID-19 is an emerging infectious disease that impacted HealthCare System worldwide and patients undergoing elective surgical procedures is associated with a high mortality rate and a complicated perioperative course. Methods: A retrospective observational study, the research design was conducted utilizing the RedCap ACS COVID-19 Registry and Cerner EMR. The intent of this design is to create statistical information about confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted in an academic institution in Brooklyn, New York from March to May 2020. Results: A total of 1413 patients were included in the final analysis. Of the 1413 patients, 520 Expired, 40.5% were males, and 33% were females, p = 0.004. Male patients had high mortality at a rate that is statistically significant. For race of those ‘Expired’, 38.3% white, 34.2% Black, 28.2% Asian, and Unknown 43.6%, showing statistical significance at p = 0.050. The most common co-morbidities for those not-Expired versus Expired: DM, 44.6% expired versus 55.6% not-expired, HTN, 77.1% versus 22.9%, and CAD, 47.9% versus 52.1%. Comparing the data of COVID-19 patients without surgery and with those who had surgery, it was observed that 53% of those who did not have surgery went ‘Home’ versus 38.6%, of those with surgery who could not. Further examining those without surgery versus those with surgery: 3.4% versus 13.3% discharge to ‘Rehab’, for ‘Other discharge’ destinations 5.9% versus 14.5%, and for ‘Expired’ 37.1% versus 31.3%. Overall, the presence of surgery had a significant impact on COVID-19 patients discharge destinations at p = < 0.001. Conclusions: The implications of change in the setting of our current clinical practice therefore require forbearance, training, preparedness, and education to efficiently maintain our essential surgical services.