Greater In-Hospital Care and Early Rehabilitation Needs in People with COVID-19 Compared with Those without COVID-19

Kristen Grove, Dale W. Edgar, Huijun Chih, Meg Harrold, Varsha Natarajan, Sheeraz Mohd, Elizabeth Hurn, Vinicius Cavalheri

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aims to compare the characteristics, in-hospital data and rehabilitation needs between those who tested positive versus negative for COVID-19 during hospitalisation with suspected COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of adults admitted to Western Australian tertiary hospitals with suspected COVID-19 was recruited. Participants were grouped according to their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result into COVID-19 positive (COVID+) and COVID-19 negative (COVID−) groups. Between-group comparisons of characteristics of the participants and hospital admission data were performed. Sixty-five participants were included (38 COVID+ and 27 COVID−; 36 females [55%]). Participants in the COVID+ group had greater acute hospital length of stay (LOS) (median [25–75th percentile] 10 [5– 21] vs. 3 [2–5] days; p < 0.05] and only those with COVID+ required mechanical ventilation (8 [21%] participants). Twenty-one percent of the COVID+ participants were discharged to inpatient rehabilitation (7% of the COVID− participants). Of note, pre-existing pulmonary disease was more prevalent in the COVID− group (59% vs. 13%; p < 0.05). Within the COVID+ group, when compared to participants discharged home, those who required inpatient rehabilitation had worse peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) on admission (86 ± 5.7% vs. 93 ± 3.8%; p < 0.05) and longer median LOS (30 [23–37] vs. 7 [4–13] days; p < 0.05). Despite having less people with pre-existing pulmonary disease, the COVID+ group required more care and rehabilitation than the COVID− group. In the COVID+ group, SpO2 on hospital presentation was associated with LOS, critical care needs, mechanical ventilation duration and the need for inpatient rehabilitation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3602
JournalJournal of Clinical Medicine
Volume11
Issue number13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2022

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