Telephone Monitoring of Isolated Patients With Suspected COVID-19 Disease in Primary Care: Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: Isolation of suspected cases of COVID-19 has been shown effective in reducing disease transmission and monitoring these patients from primary care allows to detect complications. The objective of this study is to determine the evolution of a cohort of patients with suspected COVID-19, and to analyse the factors associated with hospital admissions due to their unfavourable evolution. Methods: Prospective cohort study. A cohort of 166 patients with COVID-19 symptoms was selected and was followed-up by telephone calls during 14 days of home isolation. Results: By the end of the follow-up, a hospital admission had taken place in 14.7% of patients. The mean survival time until admission among diabetics was 12.6, 10.9 days for chronic kidney diseases, and 9.3 days in immunocompromised patients. Immunosuppression was a risk factor for admission over 50 years of age. Conclusion: Hospital admissions for suspected cases of COVID-19 are associated with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and immunosuppression. Telephone monitoring of these patients from primary care allows for home isolation and early detection of disease complications.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS COV-2; comorbidities; coronavirus disease; primary care; public health; telemedicine.