May 22, 2020

Characterization of Patients Who Return to Hospital Following Discharge from Hospitalization For COVID-19

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

• [pre-print, not peer reviewed] A retrospective cohort of 2,864 COVID-19 patients discharged from five New York City hospitals found 103 (3.6%) returned for emergency care after a median of 4.5 days, with 56 requiring re–admission. In 50% of cases the reason for return was respiratory distress.  
• Patients who returned had a higher burden of COPD and hypertension, had a shorter duration of index hospitalization, and were less likely to require intensive care or to have received anticoagulation during index hospitalization.  
• Among those readmitted, 5.8% required intensive care, and 3.6% died. 

Somani et al. (May 22, 2020). Characterization of Patients Who Return to Hospital Following Discharge from Hospitalization For COVID-19. Pre-print downloaded May 21 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.17.20104604