Agnes Hernández-Biette1, José Sanz-Santos1, Lucía Boix-Palop2, Annie Navarro Rolón3, Mireia Martínez-Palau3, Alejandro de la Sierra Iserte4. 1. Servei de Pneumología, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, España. Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. 2. Unitat de Malalties Infeccioses, Servei de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, España. 3. Servei de Pneumología, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, España. 4. Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. Unitat de Malalties Infeccioses, Servei de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical course of patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) with nonsevere coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and explore possible risk factors for later hospitalization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with nonsevere COVID-19 who were discharged from the ED were included prospectively. We explored risk factors for hospitalization after discharge. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included; 17 (23%) were hospitalized after discharge. Three (4%) of the 17 patients died. Age, lymphopenia, a high Charlson Comorbidity Index, and a shorter delay between the onset of symptoms and the first visit to the ED were associated with hospitalization afterwards, although on multivariate analysis only time less than 6 days between symptom onset and the first ED visit was associated with later hospitalization (odds ratio, 4.62; 95% CI, 1.08-19.7). CONCLUSION: More than 20% of ED patients with nonsevere COVID-19 require hospitalization later.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical course of patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) with nonsevere coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and explore possible risk factors for later hospitalization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with nonsevere COVID-19 who were discharged from the ED were included prospectively. We explored risk factors for hospitalization after discharge. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included; 17 (23%) were hospitalized after discharge. Three (4%) of the 17 patients died. Age, lymphopenia, a high Charlson Comorbidity Index, and a shorter delay between the onset of symptoms and the first visit to the ED were associated with hospitalization afterwards, although on multivariate analysis only time less than 6 days between symptom onset and the first ED visit was associated with later hospitalization (odds ratio, 4.62; 95% CI, 1.08-19.7). CONCLUSION: More than 20% of ED patients with nonsevere COVID-19 require hospitalization later.