Research Journal of Medical Sciences
ISSN: Online 1993-6095ISSN: Print 1815-9346
172
Views
11
Downloads
An Observational Study of COVID‐19 Intensive Care Patients for Abnormalities in Arterial Blood Gas, Acid‐Base and Blood Pressure and their Relationship to Patient Outcomes
Utsav Sharma, Khushboo , Anil Kumar Rajput and Deepak Gupta
Page: 635-640 | Received 06 Jul 2023, Published online: 01 Aug 2023
Full Text Reference XML File PDF File
Abstract
The increased prevalence of pneumonia and renal complications in individuals afflicted with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) leads to frequent disruptions in acid‐base equilibrium among critically ill patients, thereby influencing their prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess the arterial blood gas (ABG) and acid‐base patterns in patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 and subsequently admitted to a tertiary care hospital. A retrospective observational study was undertaken at a designated hospital for COVID‐19 patients, involving a cohort of 200 individuals who tested positive for COVID‐19 using reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) testing. The study collected demographic and laboratory data, including arterial blood gas (ABG) measurements, within the first day of admission. In cases where multiple ABG analyses were conducted, only the initial measurement was considered for statistical analysis. The study also examined the association between the initial ABG measurement and comorbidities. The age group with the highest prevalence among the patients was 51‐60 years, accounting for 30% of the total study sample. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of males compared to females, with a male‐tofemale ratio of 2.7 to 1. The prevalent comorbidities observed in 49% of COVID‐19 patients were hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Alkalosis was observed in 54% of the patients, while acidosis was observed in 19% of the patients. The predominant abnormality observed in arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis was primary respiratory alkalosis accompanied by secondary metabolic acidosis, which was observed in 67 patients, accounting for 25.1% of the total sample. This was followed by primary respiratory alkalosis with secondary metabolic alkalosis, observed in 20% of the patients. A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between PaCO2 and pH (r = ‐0.530, p<0.0001). Additionally, statistically significant positive correlations were found between pH and base (r = 0.533, p<0.0001), pH and TCO2 (r = 0.260, p<0.0001), as well as pH and HCO3 (r = 0.354, p<0.0001). Acid‐base imbalances are commonly observed in individuals diagnosed with COVID‐19. The predominant pattern identified in severely afflicted COVID‐19 patients, as evidenced by arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, was respiratory alkalosis, either as an isolated manifestation or in conjunction with other patterns. The examination of arterial blood gas (ABG) upon admission in individuals diagnosed with moderate‐to‐severe COVID‐19 holds promise in expediting intervention for metabolic abnormalities, thereby improving patient outcomes.
How to cite this article:
Utsav Sharma, Khushboo , Anil Kumar Rajput and Deepak Gupta. An Observational Study of COVID‐19 Intensive Care Patients for Abnormalities in Arterial Blood Gas, Acid‐Base and Blood Pressure and their Relationship to Patient Outcomes.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/10.59218/ makrjms.2023.635.640
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-9346/10.59218/ makrjms.2023.635.640