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Mortality Patterns among COVID-19 Patients in Two Saudi Hospitals: Demographics, Etiology, and Treatment
  • Fatimah AlGhawi,
  • Abdullah Al Asiri,
  • Sami AlMudarra
Fatimah AlGhawi
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health

Corresponding Author:fatimah.ghawi@gmail.com

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Abdullah Al Asiri
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health
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Sami AlMudarra
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health
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Abstract

Background: Saudi Arabia (SA) reported its first case of COVID-19 on 2 March 2020. Mortality varied nationwide: by 14 April 2020 Medina had 16% of SA’s total COVID-19 cases and 40% of all COVID-19 deaths. A team of epidemiologists investigated to identify factors impacting survival. Methods: We reviewed medical records from two hospitals: Hospital A in Medina and Hospital B in Dammam. All patients with a registered COVID-related death between 1 March -22 April 2020 were included. We collected data on demographics, chronic health conditions, clinical presentation and treatment. We analysed data using SPSS. Results: We identified 76 cases: 38 cases from each hospital. More fatalities were among non-Saudis at Hospital A (89%) versus Hospital B (82%, p<.001). Hypertension prevalence was higher among cases at Hospital A (42%) versus Hospital B (21%) (p<.05). We found statistically significant differences (p<.05) in symptoms at initial presentation among cases at Hospital A versus Hospital B, including: body temperature (38º C vs 37º C), heart rate (104 bpm vs 89 bpm), and regular breathing rhythms (61% vs 55%). Less cases (50%) at Hospital A received heparin versus Hospital B (97%, p-value< 0.001). Conclusion: Patients who died at Hospital A typically presented with more severe illness and were more likely to have underlying health conditions. Migrant workers may be at increased risk due to poorer baseline health and reluctance to seek care. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural outreach to prevent deaths. Health education efforts should be multilingual and accommodate all literacy levels.
28 Dec 2022Submitted to Influenza and other respiratory viruses
31 Jan 2023Submission Checks Completed
31 Jan 2023Assigned to Editor
31 Jan 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Feb 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
14 Feb 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
26 Feb 20231st Revision Received
28 Feb 2023Submission Checks Completed
28 Feb 2023Assigned to Editor
28 Feb 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Mar 2023Editorial Decision: Accept