Clinical and demographic characteristics of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 referred to a Consultation - Liaison Psychiatry Unit

INTRODUCTION: There is accumulating evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection, apart from physical complications, can cause a variety of symptoms related to mental health, either during the acute phase of the infection or following the resolution of acute COVID-19 (i.e., long-COVID). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of a sample of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Data were collected from 1 January 2021 to 31 May 2022. In particular, clinical and demographic characteristics of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at the “Attikon” University General Hospital and who were referred for assessment to the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry unit were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: During the study period, 107 patients, 66 men (62%) and 41 women (38%) with a mean age of 63 years, with COVID-19 were referred to the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry unit for evaluation. Among them, 58 (54.6%) had a previous psychiatric history, while 49 (45.4%) were assessed for the first time by a mental health professional. The most frequent psychiatric manifestations included anxiety manifestations [38 patients (36%)], delirium [37 patients (35%)] and depressive manifestations [15 patients (14%)]. CONCLUSIONS: The description of demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with concurrent psychiatric manifestations highlights the importance of early clinical detection of psychiatric comorbidity by physicians with a view to ensuring that patients’ needs are supported in an integrated, holistic and patient-centric manner. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST: None Declared