Clinical Characteristics of Deceased With COVID-19: Review of Medical Records in a Referral Hospital Dedicated for COVID-19

In this retrospective observational study, every consecutive patient who died and tested positive for Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Dhaka Medical College Hospital from 2nd May 2020 to 31 August 2020 were included. The paper files of patients were retrieved from the record section of the hospital as only a paper-based recording is maintained in the hospital. Patients with suspected COVID-19 were excluded from the study who tested negative for Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT PCR for SARS-CoV-2).

A preformed case record form (CRF) was used to collect all available demographic, clinical information including presentation, investigation, and treatment from hospital paper file from the record section. The severity of disease for COVID-19 was classified according to National Guidelines on Clinical Management of COVID-19 Version 8.0, 5 November 2020. The mild disease was defined as an individual with COVID-19 with prodromal symptoms without dyspnea and radiological abnormality. The moderate disease was defined as abnormal chest imaging with the saturation of oxygen ≥ 90% and severe disease was denied as saturation of oxygen less than 90%. All data were summarized, analyzed with SPPS 26.

RT PCR for SARS-CoV-2 assay is done in the virology department of Dhaka Medical College to detect SARS-Cov-2 RNA from samples taken from suspected patients. Nasopharyngeal swabs and the oropharyngeal swab were taken from patients. Biochemical, hematological investigations are done in the clinical pathology department of the hospital and paper reports are sent to respective patients' files. Laboratory measurements were collected for analysis which is available in the file of deceased patients in the record section.