Background: The course of disease, complications and hospital mortality among patients with COVID-19 admitted to Norwegian hospitals has not been widely described. The purpose of this study was to survey patients with COVID-19 admitted to a local hospital.
Material and method: The data were retrieved from a prospective observational study of all patients admitted with COVID-19 to Bærum Hospital since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
Results: A total of 73 patients with COVID-19 admitted in the period 9 March 2020-7 May 2020 were included. The mean age was 67.9 years, and 43 patients (59 %) were men. The average number of days hospitalised was 10.1. Altogether 19 patients (26 %) had a very severe course of disease, and 14 (19 %) died during their stay in hospital. The mean age among the patients who died was 79.5 years. A total of 49 patients (67 %) had hypoxaemia and required oxygen therapy for an average of 10.1 days. Of these, 9 patients were given invasive respiratory support for a median 18 days. Symptoms of delirium occurred in 26 patients (36 %) and was the most frequent non-respiratory complication.
Interpretation: The majority of the patients hospitalised with COVID-19 needed prolonged oxygen therapy, and there was a high incidence of severe complications.