Comparison between COVID­19 outcomes in the first 3 waves of the pandemic: a reference hospital report.

INTRODUCTION: The course of consecutive COVID­19 waves was influenced by medical and organizational factors. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the outcomes of patients hospitalized for COVID­19 during the first 3 waves of the pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of all COVID­19 patients admitted to the University Hospital in Kraków, Poland, a designated COVID­19 hospital in Malopolska province, between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021. The waves were defined as 1, 2, and 3, and covered the periods of March 2020 to July 2020, August 2020 to January 2021, and February 2021 to May 2021, respectively. Patients' characteristics and outcomes for waves 1 through 3 were compared. RESULTS: Data analyses included 5191 patients with COVID­19. We found differences in age (mean [SD], 60.2 [17.3] years vs 62.4 [16.8] years vs 61.9 [16.1] years, respectively, for waves 1, 2, and 3; P = 0.003), sex distribution (proportion of women, 51.4% vs 44.2% vs 43.6%; P = 0.003), as well as concentrations of inflammatory markers and oxygen saturation (the lowest and the highest for wave 1, respectively; P <0.001). Hospital death rates in subsequent waves were 10.4%, 19.8%, and 20.3% (P <0.001). Despite similarities in patients' characteristics, the length of hospital and intensive care unit stay was shorter for wave 3 than for wave 2. The risk factors for in­hospital death were: advanced age, male sex, cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease, higher C­reactive protein level, and hospitalization during the second or third wave. CONCLUSIONS: We identified differences in patients' clinical characteristics and outcomes between consecutive pandemic waves, which probably reflect changes in terms of COVID­19 isolation policy, hospitalization and treatment indications, and treatment strategies.

Impact of Arterial Hypertension and Use of Antihypertensive Pharmacotherapy on Mortality in Patients Hospitalized due to COVID-19: The CRACoV-HHS Study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases including arterial hypertension are common comorbidities among patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. We assessed the influence of preexisting hypertension and its pharmacological treatment on in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: We studied all consecutive patients who were admitted to the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, due to COVID-19 between March 2020 and May 2021. Data of 5191 patients (mean age 61.9±16.7 years, 45.2% female) were analyzed. RESULTS: The median hospitalization time was 14 days, and the mortality rate was 18.4%. About a quarter of patients had an established cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease (16.6%) or stroke (7.6%). Patients with hypertension (58.3%) were older and had more comorbidities than patients without hypertension. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age above median (64 years), male gender, history of heart failure or chronic kidney disease, and higher C-reactive protein level, but not preexisting hypertension, were independent risk factors for in-hospital death in the whole study group. Patients with hypertension already treated (n=1723) with any first-line antihypertensive drug (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or thiazide/thiazide-like diuretics) had a significantly lower risk of in-hospital death (odds ratio, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.2-0.3]; P<0.001) compared to nontreated hypertensives (n=1305). CONCLUSIONS: Although the diagnosis of preexisting hypertension per se had no significant impact on in-hospital mortality among patients with COVID-19, treatment with any first-line blood pressure-lowering drug had a profound beneficial effect on survival in patients with hypertension. These data support the need for antihypertensive pharmacological treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CRACoV-HHS: an interdisciplinary project for multi-specialist hospital and non-hospital care for patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection as well hospital staff assessment for infection exposure.

The complex course of the COVID-19 and the distant complications of the SARS-CoV-2 infection still remain an unfaded challenge for modern medicine. The care of patients with the symptomatic course of COVID-19 exceeds the competence of a single specialty, often requiring a multispecialist approach. The CRACoV-HHS (CRAcow in CoVid pandemic - Home, Hospital and Staff) project has been developed by a team of scientists and clinicians with the aim of optimizing medical care at hospital and ambulatory settings and treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The CRACoV project integrates 26 basic and clinical research from multiple medical disciplines, involving different populations infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus and exposed to infection. Between January 2021 and April 2022 we plan to recruit subjects among patients diagnosed and treated in the University Hospital in Cracow, the largest public hospital in Poland, i.e. 1) patients admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19 [main module: 'Hospital']; 2) patients with signs of infection who have been confirmed as having SARS-CoV-2 infection and have been referred to home isolation due to their mild course (module: 'Home isolation'); 3) patients with symptoms of infection and high exposure to SARS- CoV-2 who have a negative RT-PCR test result. In addition, survey in various professional groups of hospital employees, both medical and non-medical, and final-fifth year medical students (module: 'Staff') is planned. The project carries both scientific and practical dimension and is expected to develop a multidisciplinary model of care of COVID-19 patients as well as recommendations for the management of particular groups of patients including: asymptomatic patient or with mild symptoms of COVID-19; symptomatic patients requiring hospitalization due to more severe clinical course of disease and organ complications; patient requiring surgery; patient with diabetes; patient requiring psychological support; patient with undesirable consequences of pharmacological treatment.

Association between cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular drug therapy, and in-hospital outcomes in patients with COVID-19: data from a large single-center registry in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) recently became one of the leading causes of death worldwide, similar to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Coexisting CVD may influence the prognosis of patients with COVID-19. AIMS: We analyzed the impact of CVD and the use of cardiovascular drugs on the in-hospital course and mortality of patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We retrospectively studied data for consecutive patients admitted to our hospital, with COVID-19 between March 6th and October 15th, 2020. RESULTS: 1729 patients (median interquartile range age 63 [50-75] years; women 48.8%) were included. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 12.9%. The most prevalent CVD was arterial hypertension (56.1%), followed by hyperlipidemia (27.4%), diabetes mellitus (DM) (25.7%), coronary artery disease (16.8%), heart failure (HF) (10.3%), atrial fibrillation (13.5%), and stroke (8%). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs) were used in 25.0% of patients, ß-blockers in 40.7%, statins in 15.6%, and antiplatelet therapy in 19.9%. Age over 65 years (odds ratio [OR], 6.4; 95% CI, 4.3-9.6), male sex (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-2.0), pre-existing DM (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.1), and HF (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.5-3.5) were independent predictors of in-hospital death, whereas treatment with ACEIs/ARBs (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.6), ß-blockers (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.9), statins (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8), or antiplatelet therapy (OR, 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9) was associated with lower risk of death. CONCLUSIONS: Among cardiovascular risk factors and diseases, HF and DM appeared to increase in-hospital COVID-19 mortality, whereas the use of cardiovascular drugs was associated with lower mortality.