Impact of the ICU admission of patients with COVID-19 on the outcomes of patients without COVID-19 in the ICU: a retrospective cohort study
摘要
This study aimed to elucidate how the admission of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) to the intensive care unit (ICU) impacts the mortality rate and management of patients without COVID-19 in the ICU, focusing on the condition of patients during and after ICU admission, which has not been sufficiently evaluated.
MethodsThis multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted across 33 ICU facilities in Japan, using data from the Japanese Intensive Care Patient Database for fiscal years 2018–2020. Patients without COVID-19 were admitted to ICUs that also treated patients with COVID-19 during the study period. Of the 68,620 patients without COVID-19, 11,503 were admitted during the COVID-19 period. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes included ICU mortality, off-hour ICU discharge, ICU discharge with mechanical ventilation, and incidence of tracheotomy.
ResultsAdjusted analyses revealed no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.90; p = 0.071) but lower ICU mortality (aOR = 0.75; p = 0.001) during the COVID-19 period. The COVID-19 period was associated with increased off-hour ICU discharges (aOR = 1.37; p < 0.001), higher tracheotomy rates (aOR = 1.45; p = 0.018), and increased ICU discharges requiring mechanical ventilation (aOR = 1.21; p = 0.006). Moreover, ICU bed occupancy rates were lower in patients without COVID-19.
ConclusionIn-hospital mortality in patients without COVID-19 during the COVID-19 period was not significantly different from that during the non-COVID-19 period. While ICU mortality decreased, the tracheostomy rate, rate of patients requiring ventilators at the time of ICU discharge, and rate of transfer to other facilities increased.