Clinical effectiveness of intensive care unit admission in older adults with COVID-19 during the first pandemic wave in Spain
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of ICU admission on mortality and complications of older patients with COVID-19 hospitalized during the first COVID-19 wave in our setting. METHODS: An observational, multicenter, and ambispective study of COVID-19 patients aged > 70 years who were hospitalized during the first wave of the pandemic in the southern metropolitan area of Barcelona, Spain. The primary outcome of the study was the in-hospital mortality rate of patients admitted to the ICU compared with their appropriately matched controls who received care in hospital wards. The secondary outcome was the in-hospital rate of complications in ICU-admitted patients versus their matched controls. RESULTS: The mortality rate was 76.6% in ICU-admitted patients and 64.9% among their matched controls, whereas the corresponding rates of complications were 73.5% and 32.4%, respectively. ICU admission shows a statistically significant impact on mortality (OR [95% CI] 2.50 [1.06–6.05]; p = 0.041). Additionally, complications were four times more likely in patients who were admitted to ICUs than in those admitted to general wards (OR [95% CI] 4.03 [1.64–9.91]; p = 0.0024). CONCLUSIONS: ICU admission was not associated with improved survival in patients older than 70 years during the first COVID-19 wave. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to assess the adequacy of ICU admission criteria for elderly patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.
Source: BMC Geriatrics
Authors: Marta Arroyo-Huidobro, Carlos Pérez-López, Natàlia Pallarès, Cristian Tebé Cordomí, Antonella F. Simonetti, Gabriela Abelenda-Alonso, Alexander Rombauts, Isabel Oriol Bermudez, Elisenda Izquierdo, Vicente Díaz-Brito, Gemma Molist, Guadalupe Gómez-Melis, Sebastian Videla, Alfons López Soto, Jordi Carratalà, Alejandro Rodríguez-Molinero, MetroSud, Carlota Gudiol, Judit Aranda-Lobo, Montserrat Sanmartí, Encarna Moreno, Maria C. Alvarez, Ana Faura, Martha González, Paula Cruz, Mireia Colom, Andrea Perez, Laura Serrano, Sebastià Videla, Divine study group, Mireia Besalú, Erik Cobo, Jordi Cortés, Daniel Fernández, Leire Garmendia, Guadalupe Gómez, Pilar Hereu, Klaus Langohr, Núria Pérez-Álvarez, Xavier Piulachs
Institutions: Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital de Sant Pau, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospital de Viladecans, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Infecciosas
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
Award: G6838057026
OpenAlex ID: W7154019291