Prevalence of fever and its associated risk factors among patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua, Ghana

Abstract

Background In Ghana, temperature check at various points of entry was adopted as a means of screening people for coronavirus disease 2019 without taking into consideration data on the local prevalence of fever associated with the disease. Our objective was to assess fever prevalence and its associated risk factors among patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua in Ghana. Methods We reviewed medical records of 301 coronavirus disease 2019 patients who were admitted at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua between May 5, 2020, and August 31, 2021. Data collected on a pre-designed extraction sheet was processed, entered and analysed using Microsoft excel 2019 and Stata/IC version 16.1 software. Prevalence of fever was estimated and a multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to establish risk factors associated with fever among hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 patients. A relationship was accepted to be significant at 5% level of significance. Results The prevalence of fever among hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 patients was 21.6% (95% CI, 17.1%-26.7%). Risk factors associated with fever were age group [0–19 years (AOR, 5.75; 95% CI, 1.46–22.68; p = 0.013); 20–39 years (AOR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.42–7.29; p = 0.005)], comorbidity (AOR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.04–4.59; p = 0.040), and disease severity [moderate (AOR, 3.89; 95% CI, 1.44–10.49; p = 0.007); severe (AOR, 4.08; 95% CI, 1.36– 12.21; p = 0.012); critical (AOR, 4.85; 95% CI, 1.03–22.85; p = 0.046)]. Conclusions The prevalence of fever was low among hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 patients at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua. However, there was an increasing risk of fever as the disease severity progresses. Fever screening may be utilised better in disease of higher severity; it should not be used alone especially in mild disease.