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:: Volume 16, Issue 2 (summer 2025) ::
j.health 2025, 16(2): 198-223 Back to browse issues page
Investigation of Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of COVID-19 across Successive Pandemic Waves: Evaluating the Impact of Vaccination among Hospitalized Patients in in Northern Iran- A Retrospective Cohort Study
Samira Elyasi , Fatemeh Dabbaghi* * , Ghahraman Mahmoudi
Islamic Azad University, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran
Abstract:   (8 Views)
Background & objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted health systems, political structures, economies, societies, cultures, and the environment. Despite global efforts to combat the virus, its evolving nature continues to pose challenges to public health. This study aims to examine the temporal trends in demographic profiles, clinical manifestations, and disease outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Northern Iran, with a specific focus on the influence of vaccination status across eight distinct waves of the pandemic.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from all patients admitted to Razi Hospital in Ghaem Shahr with confirmed COVID-19 (via PCR testing) from the onset of the outbreak until the end of spring 2022. Patient demographics, clinical presentations, and outcomes were extracted from hospital records. Statistical analyses were conducted using ANOVA and chi-square tests in SPSS version 26 to identify significant differences across pandemic waves and between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
Results: A total of 4,475 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 54.54±16.62 years. Women accounted for 53.7% of the participants. The highest hospitalization rates occurred during the fifth wave (30.4%), followed by the fourth wave (24.5%) and the second wave (14.6%). Clinical symptoms such as fever, headache, cough, anosmia, ageusia, and myalgia varied significantly across the waves. Although the mortality rate was lower among vaccinated patients (4.6%) compared to unvaccinated patients (7.7%), the association between vaccination status and clinical outcomes did not reach statistical significance (p=0.09).
Conclusion: This study reveals significant changes in clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 across consecutive waves in Northern Iran. While vaccination appeared to reduce mortality, the lack of statistical significance indicates the need for further investigation into confounding factors and the efficacy of vaccines over time. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the pandemic's trajectory and highlight the importance of vaccination as a public health strategy.
 
Keywords: COVID-19, Vaccination, Clinical Outcomes, Pandemic Waves, Iran
Full-Text [PDF 765 kb]   (4 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: General
Received: 2025/10/4 | Accepted: 2025/09/1 | Published: 2025/09/1
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Elyasi S, Dabbaghi* F, Mahmoudi G. Investigation of Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of COVID-19 across Successive Pandemic Waves: Evaluating the Impact of Vaccination among Hospitalized Patients in in Northern Iran- A Retrospective Cohort Study. j.health 2025; 16 (2) :198-223
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