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Differences in mortality in critically ill elderly patients during the second COVID-19 surge in Europe.
Jung, C, Fjølner, J, Bruno, RR, Wernly, B, Artigas, A, Bollen Pinto, B, Schefold, JC, Wolff, G, Kelm, M, Beil, M, et al
Critical care (London, England). 2021;(1):344
Abstract
BACKGROUND The primary aim of this study was to assess the outcome of elderly intensive care unit (ICU) patients treated during the spring and autumn COVID-19 surges in Europe. METHODS This was a prospective European observational study (the COVIP study) in ICU patients aged 70 years and older admitted with COVID-19 disease from March to December 2020 to 159 ICUs in 14 European countries. An electronic database was used to register a number of parameters including: SOFA score, Clinical Frailty Scale, co-morbidities, usual ICU procedures and survival at 90 days. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04321265). RESULTS In total, 2625 patients were included, 1327 from the first and 1298 from the second surge. Median age was 74 and 75 years in surge 1 and 2, respectively. SOFA score was higher in the first surge (median 6 versus 5, p < 0.0001). The PaO2/FiO2 ratio at admission was higher during surge 1, and more patients received invasive mechanical ventilation (78% versus 68%, p < 0.0001). During the first 15 days of treatment, survival was similar during the first and the second surge. Survival was lower in the second surge after day 15 and differed after 30 days (57% vs 50%) as well as after 90 days (51% vs 40%). CONCLUSION An unexpected, but significant, decrease in 30-day and 90-day survival was observed during the second surge in our cohort of elderly ICU patients. The reason for this is unclear. Our main concern is whether the widespread changes in practice and treatment of COVID-19 between the two surges have contributed to this increased mortality in elderly patients. Further studies are urgently warranted to provide more evidence for current practice in elderly patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04321265 , registered March 19th, 2020.
2.
Impact of gender on patients hospitalized for SARS-COV-2 infection: A prospective observational study.
Giacomelli, A, De Falco, T, Oreni, L, Pedroli, A, Ridolfo, AL, Calabrò, E, Carrozzo, G, Bonazzetti, C, Antinori, S, Brucato, A
Journal of medical virology. 2021;(7):4597-4602
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Abstract
Biological sex could affect the natural history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. We enrolled all COVID-19 patients admitted to two COVID-19 hospitals in Milan in a prospective observational study. The primary outcome was death during the study period and the secondary outcome was critical disease at hospital admission. The association(s) between clinically relevant, noncollinear variables, and the primary outcome was assessed with uni- and multivariable Logistic regression models. A total of 520 patients were hospitalized of whom 349 (67%) were males with a median age 61 (interquartile range: 50-72). A higher proportion of males presented critically ill when compared to females (30.1% vs. 18.7%, p < .046). Death occurred in 86 (24.6%) males and 27 (15.8%) females (p = .024). In multivariable analysis age (per 10 years more) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.83 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.42-2.35], p < .0001), obesity (AOR: 2.17 [95% CI: 1.10-4.31], p = .026), critical disease at hospital admission (AOR 6.34 [95% CI: 3.50-11.48], p < .0001) were independently associated to higher odds of death whereas gender was not. In conclusion, a higher proportion of males presented critically ill at hospital admission. Age, critical disease at hospital admission, obesity, anemia, D-dimer, estimated glomerular filtration rate, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase predicted death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.