Symptomatic manifestations in COVID-19 infection

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly around the world, resulting in high mortality;it has forced a reorganization of all health systems The Palliative Care Unit at Hospital Universitario La Paz was transformed into a unit for the care of patients with COVID-19 infection in order to collaborate in the care of these patients We faced the challenge of ensuring good control of symptoms, which were assessed as systematically as possible, being aware of the difficulties entailed in the context of the isolation and clinical situation of patients We present a narrative review of symptomatic manifestations and our experience as a palliative care unit integrated in COVID-19 care at a third-level hospital in Madrid A profile of patients with advanced disease and high comorbidity was prioritized for admission in this unit This integration contributed significantly to having a greater influence on the way end-of-life care is provided throughout the hospital Palliative care should be part of the care teams in any health emergency, such as a pandemic It is essential for adequate symptomatology and end-of-life care A systematic collection of symptoms is necessary because of its clinical impact on patients, their need for specific treatment, and its prognostic implications