The impact of Covid-19 on hospital length of stay and resources: an experience from a tertiary respiratory centre in the UK

Résumé fourni par la source

The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented strain on the healthcare systems, particularly intensive care and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) resources. We aimed to investigate the lengths of hospital stay of COVID-19 patients in a tertiary respiratory centre. Clinical data of all patients admitted between 10/03/2020 and 9/04/2020, with confirmed COVID-19 infection was extracted. For comparison, data from patients admitted with bacterial pneumonia during the same time in the previous year was recorded. Out of a total of 286 patients with COVID-19 (63% male, mean (SD) age of 68 (16) years), 25% died within 30 days of admission. Fewer patients (n=166) were admitted during the same time last year with pneumonia, with a lower 30-day mortality rate (14.5%, p=0.012). The total inpatient lengths of stay (LoS) in COVID-19 patients were significantly higher than patients with pneumonia (median (IQR): 7 (3-13) days and 5 (2-10) days, respectively; p=0.003). Fifty (18%) COVID patients required admission to intensive care unit (ICU) (32% in hospital mortality), with the median (IQR) duration of ICU stay of 17 (10-48) days. For those who required ICU admission, the total in-hospital LoS was prolonged (24 (16-45) days), with a minority (8%) of patients required continuous inpatient care beyond 80 days. Six (12%) COVID-19 patients required ECMO support (median (IQR) duration: 13 (10-18) days) compared to none during the same time last year for pneumonia. For those who required ECMO support, the median (IQR) in-hospital stay was 44 (36-73) days. COVID-19 exerts a substantial burden to hospital resources therefore necessitating careful resource allocation.

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