Journal Article

The impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the demographic, clinical and social profiles of patients admitted to the Pneumology Department for a COPD exacerbation

Fernández García, Sara, Golpe Gómez, Rafael, Priegue Carrera, Ana, Pazos Area, Luis, Fernández Villar, Alberto, González Montaos, Almudena, Represas Represas, Cristina, Ruano Raviña, Alberto

2023

Overview

Although a reduction in admissions for pathologies other than SARS-CoV-2 has been reported during the pandemic, there are hardly any specific studies in relation to COPD. The objective of this study was to analyse differences in the profile of those admitted for AEPOC and their prognosis during this period. 340 patients (76.6% male, 72 years, FEV1 43.5%) were included, 174 in the post-pandemic phase. During pandemic, especially before population-level vaccination, admissions for AECOPD were in patients with more severe disease and with a higher level of eosinophils. No differences were found in social profile, except they had more informal caregivers. The mortality rate at 90 days was the same (9%), although those admitted during the pandemic came for more hospital visits in the following 3 months (53.8% vs. 42%; p = 0.003), with the pandemic phase being an independent predictor of this possibility (OR = 1.6.; 95% IC = 1.1-2.6). In the first few months of the pandemic, the clinical profile of patients hospitalised for an AECOPD differed from that both prior to this period and during the latter months of the pandemic, with minimal changes at the social level. Although the mortality rate were similar, unscheduled hospital visits increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Biology and Life Sciences / Caregivers / Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Comparative analysis / Complications and side effects / Computer industry / COVID-19 / COVID-19 vaccines / Demographics / Demography / Dyspnea / Electronic health records / Emergency medical care / Emergency medical services / Eosinophils / Epidemics / Health aspects / Hospital care / Hospitalization / Hospitals / Immunization / Influence / Influenza / Leukocytes (eosinophilic) / Lung diseases, Obstructive / Medical records / Medical research / Medicine and Health Sciences / Mortality / Pandemics / Patients / Prognosis / Pulmonology / Qualitative research / Regression analysis / Risk factors / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Spain / Statistics / United Kingdom / United States / Vaccination / Variables / Viral diseases