Characteristics of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at Hvidovre Hospital, March-April 2020

Simone Bastrup Israelsen, Klaus Tjelle Kristiansen, Bettina Hindsberger, Charlotte Suppli Ulrik, Ove Andersen, Magnus Jensen, Sten Andersen, Christian Rasmussen, Henrik L Jørgensen, Christian Østergaard, Bjarne Ørskov Lindhardt, Gitte Kronborg, Thomas Benfield

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 occurred in Denmark on 27 February 2020. On 10 March, the first case of COVID-19 pneumonia was admitted to Hvidovre Hospital.

METHODS: Retrospective case review of individuals 18 years or older who were admitted consecutively to Hvidovre Hospital from 10 March through 23 April 2020.

RESULTS: A total of 175 individuals were admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia. The median age was 71 years, 48.6% were male and 71% had at least one co-morbidity. The most commonly presenting symptoms were dyspnoea, dry cough, and fever. The majority of patients had lymphopenia, elevated liver function tests and C-reactive protein. Nearly two in three presented with multilobar infiltration by chest X-ray. Respiratory failure leading to invasive mechanical ventilation developed in 27 patients (15.4%). By 20 April, 23 of 175 (13.1%) patients remained hospitalised, 43 (24.6%) had died and 109 (62.3%) had been discharged.

CONCLUSIONS: The manifestations of COVID-19 at presentation were similar to those seen in other reports. Our population was older, slightly overrepresented by women and had a high level of co-morbidity. COVID-19 admittance was associated with frequent need of intensive care and mechanical ventilation that was associated with a very high mortality.

FUNDING: none.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberA05200313
JournalDanish Medical Journal
Volume67
Issue number6
Number of pages4
ISSN1603-9629
Publication statusPublished - 15 May 2020

Keywords

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Betacoronavirus
  • Coronavirus Infections/complications
  • Denmark
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral/complications
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Respiration, Artificial
  • Respiratory Insufficiency/etiology
  • Retrospective Studies

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