PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DOS PACIENTES HOSPITALIZADOS COM COVID-19 NO MUNICÍPIO DE MOSSORÓ-RN

Abstract

Introduction: As observed in the national scenario, the city of Mossoró showed high lethality rates in the first months of the pandemic. However, the epidemiological knowledge around Covid-19 in the municipality has occurred mostly through institutional documents from the Health Secretariats. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide evidence to broaden the understanding of the occurrence of the disease at the local level, provide data and information that will support municipal health public policies and generate hypotheses about the morbidity and mortality of the disease for future scientific investigations. Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of hospitalized and confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the municipality of Mossoró in the state of Rio Grande do Norte/Brazil. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional and observational study, based on secondary data from the hospitalized COVID-19 cases recorded in the Unified Health System (Sistema Unificado de Saúde, SUS) between March and October 2020. Results: 664 patients were included in the sample, of which 46.5% evolved to death. Among hospitalizations, 63.1% resulted in intensive care units (ICU) admissions. We observed significant differences between 'ICU admission and evolution to death' and 'age group and evolution to death' and, higher risk among elderly individuals over 60 years, with comorbidities, dyspnea and O2 saturation<95%. Need for invasive ventilatory support was considered a predisposing factor for death. The risk of ICU admission was higher among eldery women.Conclusions: Hospitalization and death of patients with COVID-19 were higher in elderly patients with comorbidities.

Keywords: COVID-19; Infection by coronavirus; Epidemiology; Pandemic; Brazil.