Characteristics of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection during successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in a reference hospital in Spain

Abstract

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and until September 2021, Spain suffered five waves of infection, the latter being related to the expansion of the Delta variant and with a high incidence. A vaccination campaign began in December 2020 and by the end of the fifth wave 77.3% of people had been fully vaccinated. Examining the changing dynamics of COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on outcomes among those hospitalized is essential. Our objective was to ascertain any differences in the characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients during that period compared to previous waves. We prospectively enrolled 200 consecutively admitted hospital patients from each wave and collected their clinical and demographic data from the medical records, including symptoms, comorbidities, deaths and whether they needed to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit to receive assisted ventilation. We found that patients in the fifth wave were considerably younger than before, and the mortality rate fell from 22.5 to 2.0%. Admissions to the Intensive Care Unit decreased from 10 to 2%. Patients in the fifth wave had fewer comorbidities, and the age of the patients who died was higher than those who survived. Our results show a marked improvement in patient outcomes in the fifth wave, suggesting success of the vaccination campaign despite the explosion in cases due to the Delta variant.

Lethality of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection—a comparative autopsy study focusing on COVID‐19 development and virus variants

“…in any of the omicron cases of our cohort 16 . Our observations are in concordance with clinical data associating an omicron infection with a milder disease course and low lethality 12,17,18 . Thus, the extent of lung injury is still an important denominator for patients’ prognosis and the clinical course of COVID‐19.…”

“…16 Our observations are in concordance with clinical data associating an omicron infection with a milder disease course and low lethality. 12,17,18 Thus, the extent of lung injury is still an important denominator for patients' prognosis and the clinical course of COVID-19. However, besides attenuation of viral pathogenicity, vaccination or resolved infection improved the specific immune status of the population, and improvement in disease management may also be an important factor for a better outcome of patients.…”

Prevalence of depression and its association with quality of life among guardians of hospitalized psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a network perspective

“…Additionally, a study based on electronic health records in the United States found that patients with psychiatric disorders had a higher risk for COVID-19 infection than those without psychiatric disorders (adjusted OR = 7.64 for depression; adjusted OR = 7.34 for schizophrenia) (11). Two other studies in Spain found that 45% of COVID-19 inpatients had history of psychiatric disorders and 37% of COVID-19 inpatients had medical conditions (12,13), supporting the view that psychiatric patients are more prone to COVID-19.…”

Retrospective Analysis of Vaccination Status and Predominant Viral Variants in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 in Reus, Spain

“…On the one hand, new and more transmissible variants have appeared, while the success of vaccination campaigns has varied in many countries, and as such, the outcomes are hard to predict a priori [2,3]. Understanding the impact of the strategies on the evolution of the disease is essential if definitive treatments are to be defined on a global scale, while alternative treatments need to be found for patients who do not respond to vaccination [4]. A total of 5 SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have been identified to date: alpha (B.1.1.…”