ABSTRACT
Introduction: Intensive care outcomes in patients with cirrhosis are relatively poor. The comparison between outcomes, especially related to infections, remains unclear in those with and without cirrhosis. With the emergence of resistant and fungal organisms, the changes in infection profiles over time are important to analyze. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of cirrhosis and infections on inpatient death over time in a qSOFA-matched cohort of patients with and without cirrhosis. Method(s): Inpatients admitted to ICUs throughout 2015-2021 were analyzed. Patients with cirrhosis were matched 1:1 by age, gender, and admission qSOFA to patients without;COVID-positive patients were excluded. Admission demographics, labs, the reasons for ICU transfer, infections, and inpatient death or hospice referral were obtained for each patient. Comparisons were made between patients with and without cirrhosis and those who died/referred to hospice versus not. Logistic regression for death/hospice was performed. In patients with cirrhosis, the culture results were compared over the years. Result(s): 1669 patients;833 cirrhosis and 836 non-cirrhosis patients were included. Patients with cirrhosis had higher rates of infection, positive culture, abdominal infection, and bacteremia. They also had higher gram-positive and fungal infections with a higher rate of VRE. They showed a greater organ failure load, death, and hospice referral compared to patients without cirrhosis. Logistic regression showed that cirrhosis (OR 4.0, p< 0.0001), admission qSOFA (1.60, p< 0.0001), WBC (1.02, p=0.003), reasons for ICU (altered mental status 1.69, hypotension 1.79, renal support 2.77, respiratory failure 1.79, CVA 1.96, all p< 0.0001) with Infection (1.77, p< 0.0001, >1 microbe isolated 1.86, p=0.05) were risk factors for death/hospice. The infection trend in the cirrhosis group showed a significant decrease in positive cultures and gram-negative infections and an increase in fungal and gram-positive infections over time. Conclusion(s): Despite matching for demographics and qSOFA, patients with cirrhosis had higher risks of death and organ failures. They were more likely to develop gram-positive and fungal infections with multiple organisms and VRE. Time trends in cirrhosis showed lower rates of positive cultures and gram-negative infections and an increase in fungal and gram-positive infections over time, which should encourage re-evaluation of diagnostic and prophylactic strategies in cirrhosis-related infections. (Figure Presented).
ABSTRACT
Patients with cirrhosis have a relatively poor prognosis in intensive care (ICU) that could be affected by the9 pandemic. However, the impact of cirrhosis care compared to noncirrhotic patients is unclear pre and post-pandemic. Aim: Define impact of cirrhosis on mortality in ICU patients before & after COVID-19. Methods: ICU pts from a large tertiary hospital who were admitted for >24 hours were divided into pre-COVID (2019) and postpandemic (2020) eras. We excluded patients where cirrhosis diagnosis was unclear. Within the 2020 cohort, we further divided pts into COVID-positive or negative based on PCR. Pts with cirrhosis were matched 1:1 to non-cirrhotic pts with respect to age, ICU admission qSOFA & ICU length of stay in both cohorts. Reasons for ICU admission, infections, organ failures and discharge information were collected. We first compared only COVID negative cirrhosis vs other pts in the pre and post cohorts & then further compared these within the COVID positive pts. Logistic regression with death/hospice as the outcome was used with cirrhosis status, qSOFA, reason for ICU admission and organ failures as independent variables in the three matched cohorts (pre-COVID, post-COVID positive & post-COVID negative). Finally, to evaluate the relative impact of cirrhosis vs COVID-19, we combined the 2020 cohort and determined death/hospice determinants. Results: We included 200 age/LOS/qSOFA-matched pts with/without cirrhosis in pre-COVID cohort. Post-COVID similarly, 200 pts were included in the COVID negative group. 64 COVID+ pts (with/ without cirrhosis) were also included. More non-cirrhotic pts were admitted for procedural observation & stroke while altered mental status (AMS) were similar. Remaining organ failures were higher in cirrhosis in pre- and post-COVID settings (Table 1). In COVIDpositive pts, cirrhosis had lower infections, respiratory failure and intubation but trended towards higher death. Cirrhosis comparison pre vs post-COVID: Post-COVID cirrhosis pts had a higher MELDNa score (15.4±7.9 vs 22.3±10.2, p=0.004)and qSOFA (2.4 vs 1.7, p<0.001) compared to pre-COVID. Logistic regression for death/hospice (Table 2): Pre COVID was significant for cirrhosis, qSOFA , altered mental status & Pressors. Post-COVID in COVID-negative pts it was again significant for cirrhosis, Infection, renal failure & qSOFA. For only COVID positive patients, only renal failure was significant. In the entire 2020 cohort, COVID-19 positive status was not significant in death/hospice prediction, but cirrhosis remained significant. Conclusions: Cirrhosis remains a major cause of mortality in patients admitted to intensive care that continues regardless of COVID-19 pandemic-induced changes in the health system. Cirrhosis is predictive of death independent of COVID-19 despite controlling for demographics and organ failure severity. (Table Presented)