Abstract

Recent studies are indicative of potential long-term complications ranging from disturbance of olfaction and taste sensations, cough, fatigue and dyspnoea, to more dire symptoms resultant of cardiac, respiratory and cognitive dysfunction. Present study was aimed to study assessment and categorization of patients with post covid status in emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: Present study was single-center, analytical retrospective observational study, conducted in patients of age > 18 years, either gender, with confirmed positive diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, patients completed 2 weeks being covid positive, came to emergency department. Results: In present study, among 80 cases, majority were from 51-60 years age group (26.25 %) & from 41-50 years age group (25 %). Majority were male (65 %) & male to female ratio was 1.9:1. Common chief complaints observed were fatigue (76.25 %), breathlessness (68.75 %), abdominal pain (46.25 %), vomiting (43.75 %), swelling bilateral lower limbs (40 %), chest pain (26.25 %) & diarrhoea (22.5 %). Majority patients had potentially infection related-symptoms (up to 4–5 weeks) 25 (31.25 %), followed by acute post-COVID symptoms (from week 5 to week 12) (27.5 %), long post-COVID symptoms (from week 12 to week 24) (23.75 %) & persistent post-COVID symptoms (lasting more than 24 weeks) (17.5 %). According to emergency severity index, majority patients were of level 5 (27.5 %) followed by level 4 (20 %), level 1 (18.75 %), level 3 (17.5 %) & level 2 (16.25 %). Conclusion: Categorization of patients with post covid status in emergency department according to emergency severity index is useful triaging practice.

Description