1.Characteristics and factors associated with severity of COVID-19 infections in primary care
Jazlan Jamaluddin ; Yeow Siong Lee ; Bee Kiau Ho
Malaysian Family Physician 2023;18():1-12
Introduction: Primary care service plays a vital role in early clinical assessment of patients with
COVID-19 in Malaysia. is study aimed to evaluate the potential risk factors of COVID-19 severity
at presentation to primary care facilities in the post-vaccination period.
Methods: Clinical records from the Selangkah system of all patients with COVID-19 aged above
18 years seen at COVID-19 assessment centres located in 10 government health clinics in Gombak
district, Selangor, from 1 October to 31 December 2021 with complete documentation and
outcomes were retrieved. Demographics, comorbidities, clinical features and vaccination statuses and
types were retrospectively evaluated. e variables were compared between mild and severe diseases.
Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the factors aecting disease
severity.
Results: A total of 4406 patients (median age=37 years, men=51.2%) were analysed. Approximately
97.1% of the cases were mild, while 2.9% were severe. Fever, diculty breathing, lethargy, throat
irritation/runny nose, oxygen saturation of <95%, respiratory rate of >20 breaths per minute,
CoronaVac vaccination and hypertension were the determinants of severity (P<0.05).
Conclusion: e high proportion (97.1%) of mild cases in this study compared with an earlier report
(81.8%) during the pre-vaccination period may suggest the impact of vaccine, as 84.9% of this cohort
was fully vaccinated. Our study also demonstrated a signicant dierence in COVID-19 severity
between the vaccine types. e identied clinical features and comorbidities could assist primary
care doctors in stratifying patients with COVID-19 judiciously in terms of hospital referral or home
quarantine.


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