Predictors of hospitalization for COVID-19: role of BCG vaccine and Dengue history

Introduction: Due to the different epidemiology of COVID-19 in different regions of the world, it is important to know the impact of health variables specific to each country.Objective: To evaluate the role of history of BCG vaccination and recent history of dengue among risk factors for hospitalization of patients with COVID-19.Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study that recorded sociodemographic and clinical variables by means of structured interview in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in four health institutions in Paraguay (September to December 2020).Logistic regression models evaluated factors associated with outcome.Results: 397 patients were included.The frequency of hospitalization was higher in male patients, age > 40 years, lower income, obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus.There was less hospitalization among health personnel and in those who reported bronchial asthma.Male sex (ORa 3.72; 95%CI 2.22-6.22),arterial hypertension (ORa 2.46; 95%CI 1.30-4.64),income (ORa 1.98; 95%CI 1.03-3.80),healthcare worker (ORa 0.20; 95%CI 0.11-0.37)and bronchial asthma (ORa 0.40; 95%CI 0.20-0.82)were influential in the multivariate analysis.In certain models studied by logistic regression, those who reported a history of BCG vaccination were associated with a lower frequency of hospitalization.History of symptomatic dengue fever was not among the relevant variables related to outcome.Conclusions: Among several COVID-19 severity prediction models, BCG vaccination history may be associated with hospitalization rates.