Predictors of in-hospital mortality of patients with COVID-19 infection in a major treatment facility in Ghana

Abstract

Background: An estimated 17 – 18% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients die. This has been attributed to varying symptomatic, prophylactic, patient management and health care factors. However, these factors have been shown to vary with population and setting  dynamics. There is limited literature on the impact of these factors on COVID-19 mortality in the Ghanaian setting. This study, therefore,  assessed the factors associated with mortality among COVID-19 hospitalised patients.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the clinical and health-related factors associated with the mortality of COVID-19 patients admitted to a major treatment facility in Ghana

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at Ghana Infectious Disease Center, involving a review of data collected on patients  admitted to the facility from January 2021 to December 2021. Using a data abstraction tool on KoboCollect, data on patient  sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentation, underlying conditions and vaccination status were extracted from patient folders  and other inpatient registers. We analysed the data and estimated Odds ratios and their respective 95%CI intervals.

Results: Out of the  271 patients admitted to the hospital within the study period, 8.86% (95% CI: 5.76 – 12.89) died. Being diabetic (aOR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.08 -  6.35), having a cardiovascular-related disease (aOR = 4.06, 95% CI: 1.03 – 15.91), having a kidney disease (aOR = 4.56, 95% CI: 1.40 - 14.92),  a chronic lung disease (aOR = 4.42, 95% CI: 1.45 - 13.53), and longer duration of admission (aOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.11) were  associated with increased odds of death among the patients. Being vaccinated (aOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.11 - 0.49) was associated with a  reduction in the odds of death among the patients.

Conclusion: This study revealed a less than 10% mortality rate among the patients.  Being unvaccinated, having an underlying condition (diabetes, cardiovascular-related diseases, chronic lung diseases and kidney disease)  and having a longer duration of admission in the hospital were associated with increased risk of death among the patients.