Impact of Hypertension on COVID-19 Severity in Togo: A Retrospective Study

Background: Few data on this subject are available in Togo, the objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary characteristics of coronavirus disease in COVID-19 and hypertensive patients in a Togolese context.

Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical retrospective study carried out at the Regional Hospital Center of Lomé. Hypertension was defined as a patient with a known history of hypertension, on antihypertensive treatment, or with mean arterial pressure ≥140/90 mmHg.The various aspects described have been studied in hospitalized patients with moderate, severe and critical forms of the disease.

Results: A total of 239 patients (64.5%) in our sample, suffering from moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19, were hypertensive. Hypertensive patients were significantly older (mean age: 59 years) compared to non-hypertensive patients (mean age: 49 years, p < 0.001). Oxygen saturation was significantly lower in hypertensive patients (84.4%) compared to non-hypertensive patients (15.6%, p < 0.001), and they also had more severe forms of COVID-19 (47.7% vs. 27.5%, p < 0.001). In thoracic computed tomography made the extent of parenchymal damage and the occurrence of pulmonary embolism were significantly associated with the hypertension profile of COVID-19 patients.

Conclusion: High blood pressure is very common in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, optimal management of hypertension is essential in COVID-19 patients to ensure a better prognosis.