3.2.5. Treatment

The antiviral drug remdesivir was used in 41/50 (82%) patients, while convalescent plasma transfusions were used in 17/50 (34%) patients (Figure 8). A total of 6/41 (14.6%) patients received remdesivir for 10 days, 27/41 (65.9%) received for 5 days. One patient received for 4 days, while 2 received for 3, 2 for 2 days and 2 for 1 day. Some died before completion of therapy and in some patients; the drug was stopped prematurely when they developed significant hepatic or renal impairment limiting the use of drug. A total of 31/50(62%) patients received therapeutic anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), whereas 19/50 (38%) patients had only received prophylactic anticoagulation with heparin. The highest level of oxygen delivery device used in most patients was non-invasive ventilation in 40/50 (80%) patients. Invasive ventilation was only used in 7/50 (14%) patients, followed by the use of reservoir mask in 2/50 (4%) patients

and High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) in 1/50 (2%) patient. The reason for inability to escalate respiratory support to invasive mechanical ventilation was due to the do not resuscitate status of patients as per the wishes of patient's party after knowing about grave prognosis and also due to logistic issues at our center.

**Figure 8.** Treatment according to the gender of patients who died.

#### 3.2.6. Cause of Death

A total of 40/50 (80%) deaths were due to type 1 respiratory failure, while 7/50 (14%) died of septic shock and 3/50 (6%) died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The contributory cause was AKI in 20/50 (40%) patients and sepsis in 5/50 (10%) patients.
