Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in a Brazilian hospital: a retrospective study of the first and second waves

OBJECTIVES: To describe clinical characteristics, hospitalization flow and outcomes in a cohort of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Brazilian hospital in the first and second waves of the pandemic. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were evaluated in the emergency department (ED) between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021. Descriptive statistics have been used to report clinical characteristics, admissions and outcomes. Comparison between the two waves was inferred using hypothesis test techniques. RESULTS: During the study period, 7723 (86.54%) patients were evaluated in the ED, of which 1908 (24.70%) were admitted. Of these, 476 (24.95%) patients were initially allocated to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 1432 (75.05%) to the general ward. Of the patients initially allocated to the general ward, 349 (24.37%) were later transferred to the ICU. One hundred and fifty-eight patients were intubated (19.15% of ICU admissions) and 110 patients died (5.77% of all admissions). In the second wave, the admission rates decreased in both the ICU (from 13.84% to 9.56%; P<0.01) and the general ward (from 22.41% to 17.16%; P<0.01). The average age in the second wave decreased from 44.06 to 41.87 years (P<0.01). Patients with severe symptoms, such as dyspnoea, decreased from 25.51% to 13.13% (P<0.01) in the second wave. The death rate among admitted patients decreased by 17.84% (from 6.52% to 5.38%; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Despite the greater number of patients in the second wave, the admission and death rates were lower compared with the first wave. The mean age of patients was lower in the second wave, and patients arrived at the hospital with less severe symptoms compared with the first wave.