A single-center experience in home management of mild and moderate COVID-19 cases

Authors

  • Mohamed T Hegazy Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2939-5611
  • Hoda M Abdel-Hamid Department of Chest Diseases, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Amany A Salem Public Health Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Fady Nagy Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Sobhi E Rizk Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Hadeel Abd El Wahab Department of Chest Diseases, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Ibrahim Naguib Endemic Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Hany El Assaly Radiology Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Hala M Farwaela Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Mohamed A Morad Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Mohamed Mortagy Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2694-2763
  • Hend Attia Clinical and Chemical Pathology, School of Medicine, Newgiza University (NGU), Giza, Egypt
  • Ibrahim Elebrashy Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Mervat Mattar Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • Maha H E-D Ibrahim Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Al-ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4975-9053

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.19243

Keywords:

COVID-19, home management, telemedicine

Abstract

Introduction: The use of telemedicine for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been effective in lowering the risk of infection and relieving strain on the healthcare system. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 cases, their follow-up, risk factors of disease severity, and predictors of hospital admission while using telemedicine.

Methodology: The study included 611 Egyptian patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 disease. The patients were isolated at home and monitored daily.

Results: Based on the World Health Organization classification, 79% of studied patients had mild illness while 20.5% had moderate illness. The initial symptoms included cough (51.7%), fever (50.8%), fatigue (45.9%), sore throat (41.1%), dyspnea (35.2%), and headache (34%); 25.2% patients had prolonged symptoms (≥ 21 days). Dyspnea was the most frequent (15.5%) long-term symptom. Age, co-existing diabetes, and COVID-19 infection with moderate severity, were associated with the need for hospitalization. We compared patients with COVID-19 infection who required hospital admission (n = 37) versus patients who continued in home isolation (n = 574). High neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, transaminases, and ferritin significantly correlated with the need for hospitalization. 18.9% of the patients who required hospital admission had diabetes. Multivariate analysis described age and diabetes as independent predictors of disease severity. Age and high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were independent predictors of hospital admission.

Conclusions: Telemedicine is effective in-home management of mild/moderate COVID-19 patients, which may ease the pressure on the healthcare system, even beyond the pandemic.

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Published

2024-09-30

How to Cite

1.
Hegazy MT, Abdel-Hamid HM, Salem AA, Nagy F, Rizk SE, Abd El Wahab H, Naguib I, El Assaly H, Farwaela HM, Morad MA, Mortagy M, Attia H, Elebrashy I, Mattar M, Ibrahim MHE-D (2024) A single-center experience in home management of mild and moderate COVID-19 cases. J Infect Dev Ctries 18:S176-S183. doi: 10.3855/jidc.19243

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 09.1: September 2024 - SUPPLEMENT

Section

Coronavirus Pandemic

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Mohamed Tharwat Hegazy, Hoda M Abdel-Hamid, Amany Ahmed Salem, Fady Nagy, Sobhi Eid Rizk, Hadeel Abd El Wahab, Ibrahim Naguib, Hany El Assaly, Hala Mohamed Farwaela, Mohamed Abdelkader Morad, Mohamed Mortagy, Hend Attia, Ibrahim Elebrashy, Mervat Mattar, Maha Hossam El-Din Ibrahim

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