Burden in Colombia of COVID-19 in Adults and the Associated Clinical Characteristics: A Retrospective Database Analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzed the impact of COVID-19 in Colombia from March 2020 to January 2023, finding most cases were mild, with severe cases linked to comorbidities and lack of vaccination.

Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive assessment of the burden of COVID-19 in Colombia over a multi-year period, highlighting the role of comorbidities and vaccination status.

Findings

Most (79%) of the 953,661 cases were mild or moderate, with 20.1% severe and 0.9% critical.

Unvaccinated individuals (94.6%) and those with comorbidities had higher risks of severe or critical illness.

Common comorbidities included hypertension, obesity, and cancer, which increased the risk of severe outcomes.

Abstract

Studies on the burden of COVID-19 cases in Colombia have focused on specific populations and short timeframes. A retrospective observational study was conducted on adult patients aged 18 diagnosed with COVID-19 who received inpatient and/or outpatient medical care at a large health maintenance organization, to evaluate the burden of COVID-19 cases in Colombia (from March 2020 to January 2023) and associations with demographic and clinical characteristics. COVID-19 cases were identified with ICD-10 codes and confirmed by a laboratory test. The statistical analysis focused on descriptors of the frequency of events. A multivariate regression model was used to identify factors associated with severe conditions and death. Of the 953,661 cases detected, most cases (~79%) were mild or moderate (handled as outpatients). There were 20.1% (N = 191,260) severe cases and 0.9% (N = 8841) critical cases. Most COVID patients were unvaccinated (94.6%) and had, on average, one comorbidity. Hypertension (19.1%), immunocompromised condition (23.8%), mental health conditions (15%), obesity (10.8%), and cancer (11.2%) were the common prevalent comorbidities. The presence of comorbidity increased the risk of severe or critical COVID-19. COVID-19 cases were associated with the lack of vaccination and comorbidities. Effective vaccination strategies are needed to reduce the burden of COVID-19 in Colombia and, considering budgetary constraints, it is advisable to prioritize the elderly or populations with underlying conditions.

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