Investigations of Psychiatrist requested consulting for admitted COVID-19 patients of Arak University of Medical Sciences affiliated hospitals

As with other diseases during COVID-19, there are psychiatric aspects that require monitoring. The main objective of this study was to investigate the variation of psychiatric consultations requested in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and the relationship between these consultations and patient prognosis.

In this cross-sectional study, the patients included those were  from admitted to the COVID-19 departments of Arak University of Medical Sciences. DSM-5 criteria were reviewed.

This study has shown that approximately 5.9% of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals have experienced psychiatric disorders, with delirium being the most common manifestation, especially among older individuals. The occurrence of delirium is significantly associated with higher mortality rates and low blood oxygen levels (p<0.05). The relationship between gender and specific psychiatric disorders was also investigated, revealing a significant correlation with anxiety, depression, and delirium (p<0.05). Moreover, concerning delirium disorder, a meaningful correlation was found with the prevalence and a history of neurological and psychiatric disorders (p<0.05).

By examining the patients, variety of consultations were divided into three categories: depression disorders, anxiety disorders, and delusions. It was found that the most common category which was clearly related to the death of patients was delusions.Therefore, the history of delirium disorder in the patient as well as the occurrence of delirium during hospitalization are important risk factors for patient mortality.