Comparison of clinical outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation with nosocomial pneumonia between Alpha and Omicron variants

Chuan Yen Sun, Jhong Ru Huang, Hsiao Chin Shen, Ying Ting Liao, Hung Jui Ko, Chih Jung Chang, Yuh Min Chen, Jia Yih Feng, Wei Chih Chen*, Kuang Yao Yang

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic that has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Critically ill COVID-19 patients who require intubation and develop nosocomial pneumonia, commonly caused by gram-negative bacilli, have a higher mortality rate than those without nosocomial pneumonia. Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes and associated risk factors of Alpha and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) with nosocomial pneumonia. Design: This is a retrospective single-center cohort study. Methods: This observational study was conducted at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan from May 2021 to September 2022. Critically ill patients who had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and intubated on a MV with bacterial pneumonia were enrolled. Demographic data, laboratory results, and treatment information were collected and analyzed. In addition, clinical outcomes among different SARS-CoV-2 variants were examined. Results: This study included 94 critically ill COVID-19 patients who required intubation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The Alpha group had a longer duration of SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding, MV days, and ICU stay, while the Omicron group had older age, more comorbidities, higher APACHE II scores, and higher in-hospital mortality (47.0% versus 25.0%, p = 0.047). However, independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality included malignancy, lower serum albumin levels, and lack of Remdesivir treatment, except for the SARS-CoV-2 variant. Conclusion: Our study discovered a higher in-hospital mortality rate in severe COVID-19 patients with MV and secondary pneumonia infected with the Omicron variant compared to the Alpha variant; however, real independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality are malignancy, lower serum albumin level, and lack of Remdesivir treatment.

Original languageEnglish
JournalTherapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease
Volume17
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2023

Keywords

  • coronavirus disease 2019
  • hospital-acquired pneumonia
  • severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants
  • ventilator-associated pneumonia

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