Characteristics of and Outcomes in COVID-19 Critical Care Patients in the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background and objective Characterizing the epidemiological features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is highly important for developing and implementing effective control measures against it. However, there is scarce data about the presenting features and outcomes in ICU patients with COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In light of this, this study aimed to assess the characteristics of and outcomes in COVID-19 ICU patients in KSA in order to describe and identify the risks associated with morbidity and mortality among them. Methodology A retrospective, hospital-based study was conducted from March 2020 to October 2021, which involved the review of medical records of the patients admitted to the ICU at COVID-19 treatment centers. The demographic data, comorbidities, signs, and symptoms of the patients were collected, along with data on the need for ventilation, duration of ICU stay, and fatality rate. All data were analyzed and the associations between variables were evaluated. Results A total of 172 patients were included in the study, most of them males (n=97, 56.4%) and elderly (69.6 ±18.2 years). The majority were Saudi nationals (n=143, 83.1%). Regarding comorbidities accompanying COVID-19, about 95 (55.2%) patients had cardiac diseases while 85 (49.4%) had diabetes; 33.7% of the patients needed mechanical ventilation versus 40.7% who needed non-mechanical ventilation. Significant associations were found in terms of age, comorbidities, and mortality rate (90, 52.3%), especially with cardiac diseases (p=0.025), diabetes (p=0.009), and kidney diseases (p=0.003). Conclusion COVID-19 infection is associated with a wide range of characteristics and outcomes. Raising awareness about the risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection will improve clinical outcomes by ensuring correct resource allocations and implementation of appropriate preventive measures.