Contracting COVID-19 Almost Doubles Long-Term Mortality Rate

Findings of a study published in Frontiers in Public Health indicate the long-term mortality rate of patients who have or had COVID-19 is significantly higher than for patients who have never contracted the disease. 

Researchers conducted a prospective, multicenter, ambulance-based, ongoing study to assess the correlation between COVID-19 infection as an independent risk factor for long-term mortality among patients being treated for acute illness by emergency medical services (EMS).

For the study, researchers reviewed data of 3107 adult patients in Spanish provinces who were treated and transported by EMS for acute disease—2594 patients without COVID-19 and 513 who previously had COVID-19 infections.

“The study involved 6 advanced life support units, 38 basic life support units, and 5 emergency departments from Spain,” explained researchers. “Sociodemographic inputs, baseline vital signs, pre-hospital blood tests, and comorbidities, including COVID-19, were collected.”

Data was collected between March 2020 and September 2021 and included follow-up visits 1 year after initial treatment. Patients were excluded from the study for having active COVID-19, cardiorespiratory arrest during treatment, a terminal illness, and/or pregnancy. 

“The mortality rate was higher in patients with COVID-19 than in patients without COVID-19 (31.8 vs 17.9%),” found researchers.

Per a logistic regression model, patients who previously has COVID-19 has increased rates of nursing home residency, more breaths per minute, and suffer more from connective disease, dementia, and congestive heart failure.

The findings showed that COVID-19 is a relevant risk factor for mortality even when adjusted for confusion factors.

Reference:
Martín-Conty JL, Polonio-López B, Sanz-García A, et al. COVID-19 as a risk factor for long-term mortality in patients managed by the emergency medical system: A prospective, multicenter, ambulance-based cohort study. Front Public Health. 2023;10:1076627. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1076627