Evaluation of patients with COVID-19 and the United Kingdom mutations in a training and research hospital in Istanbul

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the patient clinics by studying Variant of Concern (VOC) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) on conventional PCR-positive samples in a training and research hospital COVID test center in Istanbul. METHODS: The study is a descriptive type and VOC PCR from all samples (from a total of 1300 samples) which detected positive by conventional PCR in a training and research hospital COVID test center between February 2 and 9, 2021. The United Kingdom mutation (VOC 202012/01, B.1.1.7) has been studied. Clinics parameters of the patients were evaluated from Public Health Management System (HSYS) records. The statistical significance was taken as p<0.05 in the analysis. RESULTS: Within the scope of the research, 1300 PCR-positive COVID-19 patients were evaluated. VOC mutation was positive in 26.1% of all patients (339 persons), and 5.8% of patients (75 persons) were hospitalized. While 3.2% (11 persons) of those with VOC positivity were hospitalized, 6.7% (64 persons) of VOC negatives were hospitalized (p=0.020). About 18.2% of hospitalized VOC positives (two persons) and 23.4% of VOC negatives (15 persons) are in intensive care. CONCLUSION: When VOC mutation was examined in all admitted and hospitalized patients, it was detected that VOC mutation was less frequent in hospitalized patients. No relationship between hospitalization and intensive care stay and VOC mutation was detected. It is recommended to determine with studies the contagiousness of patients with VOC mutations.