ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The effect of hospital-associated SARS-CoV-2 infections in cardiac surgery patients remains poorly investigated, and current data are limited to small case series with conflicting results. METHODS: A multicenter European collaboration was organized to analyze the outcomes of patients who tested positive with hospital-associated SARS-CoV-2 infection after cardiac surgery. The study investigators hypothesized that early infection could be associated with worse postoperative outcomes; hence 2 groups were considered: (1) an early hospital-associated SARS-CoV-2 infection group comprising patients who had a positive molecular test result ≤7 days after surgery, with or without symptoms; and (2) a late hospital-associated SARS-CoV-2 infection group comprising patients whose test positivity occurred >7 days after surgery, with or without symptoms. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality or morbidity at early follow-up and SARS-CoV-2-related hospital readmission. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients were included in the study. Of those, 30 were in the early group and 57 in the late group. Overall, 30-day mortality was 8%, and in-hospital mortality was 11.5%. The reintubation rate was 11.4%. Early infection was significantly associated with higher mortality (adjusted OR, 26.6; 95% CI, 2, 352.6; P < .01) when compared with the late group. At 6-month follow-up, survival probability was also significantly higher in the late infection group: 91% (95% CI, 83%, 98%) vs 75% (95% CI, 61%, 93%) in the early infection group (P = .036). Two patients experienced COVID-19-related rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter analysis, hospital-associated SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in higher than expected postoperative mortality after cardiac surgery, especially in the early infection group.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We describe the baseline, operative, and postoperative features of a group of 18 patients who contracted the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection in a rehabilitation facility after cardiac surgery, and present some potential explanations for the surprisingly benign course of the COVID-19 in this cohort. METHODS: All patients were operated on an urgent or emergency basis (acute aortic syndrome, 3; refractory heart failure, 12; and endocarditis, 3) during the first lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean age was 70 years, and 12 patients were male. After the diagnosis of COVID-19, patients were treated according to the most recent recommendations. Eleven asymptomatic patients were discharged home or to a COVID-19 hotel and underwent close monitoring. Patients with fever, dyspnea, or a significant rise of the polymerase chain reaction levels were hospitalized, three received antivirals, three azithromicyne, and five hydroxychloroquine. Nasal swabs were repeated on a weekly basis, and all patients were quarantined until the collection of two consecutive negative samples. RESULTS: Diversely from other observations on perioperative COVID-19 reporting mortality rates of 30%-40%, the COVID-19 had a benign course in our cohort: only seven patients required hospitalization, and one required short intensive care unit admission. There were no deaths, and at the latest follow-up, all patients had been discharged home. COMMENT: Our data show that the SARS-CoV2 infection after cardiac surgery may have a benign course. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between the timing of the infection, some potentially protective therapies (e.g., anticoagulants), and the course of the COVID-19.