71% mortality for Covid-19 infected males in ICU: Study

In Chattogram, around 71% of Covid patients dying in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are male with high degree of troponin in their body, while females are also suffering from blood clots at an alarming rate, a study says. 

Once infected with Covid-19, oxygen levels, white blood cells, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin and D-dimer of patients were significantly higher or lower.

The study found that patients could not be saved even after being admitted to the ICU due to extensive fluctuations in the above mentioned factors. 

The study also found that 89% of Covid-19 patients had one or more diseases prior to infection with Covid-19.

The findings were published by Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) on Wednesday.

During the study, "Assessment of the risk of death," the researchers analysed haematological and biochemical markers of ICU patients infected with Covid-19 at Chattogram General Hospital. 

The study was done on haematological and biochemical data along with physiological parameters of 234 patients admitted to the ICU from May to September this year.

Chattogram Medical University Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Ismail Khan said the study shows that 156 (66.67%) of the patients admitted to the ICU died.  78 people (33.33%) recovered and returned home.  The male death rate was exactly 70.83% while that of females was 62.28%.

A group of researchers in Chattogram, led by Gautam Buddha Das, Vice Chancellor of CVASU, and Md Ismail Khan, VC of Chattogram Medical University, conducted the study.

73 % of Covid deaths were in their fifties and 89.01% of Covid deaths were suffering from various diseases prior to Covid infections.

Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Rana, an assistant professor at CVASU, told The Business Standard (TBS) that during the study, the condition of some blood components of Covid patients ---- white blood cells, C-reactive proteins, ferritin and D-dimer --- were found to be deteriorating gradually.

"Some of these blood components of patients are increasing alarmingly, while others are decreasing, causing patient deaths.  If these tests can be done early on at the beginning or early stages of infection, then the chance of patients recovering would increase," Dr Iftekhar said.

 Dr Iftekhar Rana of CVASU told TBS, "We found excessive troponin in the bodies of female patients, causing blood clots at an alarming rate. We cannot determine the reason for this."  

 Excessive white blood cells found in 75% of Covid-19 deaths

The study on the blood components of dead patients shows that 75.05% of the patients had a higher WBC level than normal (4,000-11,000 cubic millimetres), rasing their death risk.

Moreover, the blood haemoglobin level found in 51.4% of Covid deaths was less than the normal level (12-17 gram/ deciliter). 

Chattogram General Hospital Senior Consultant Dr Md Abdur Rab said, "Doctors found high levels of C-reactive protein in the blood of 98.04% Covid-19 patients who have died in the ICU."  

A drastic fall in haemoglobin and the high presence of four parameters in their blood are the likely cause of covid deaths in ICU, he added.

Divisional Director (Health) Dr Hasan Shahriar Kabir said, "Age 50+ male Covid-19 patients are advised not to stay home. When symptoms develop, they have to be hospitalized. Some tests have to be done after 7 days in the first phase and after 14 days in the second phase. "

If patients undergo all the tests, physicians can easily prescribe medicines and start treatment, he added.  

Chattogram General Hospital Director, Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, says that according to the study findings, age 50+ males are at high risk of death by Covid.