Different epidemiology of bloodstream infections in COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 critically ill patients: a descriptive analysis of the Eurobact II study.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to describe the epidemiology and outcomes of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (HABSIs) between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill patients. METHODS: We used data from the Eurobact II study, a prospective observational multicontinental cohort study on HABSI treated in ICU. For the current analysis, we selected centers that included both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill patients. We performed descriptive statistics between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 in terms of patients' characteristics, source of infection and microorganism distribution. We studied the association between COVID-19 status and mortality using multivariable fragility Cox models. RESULTS: A total of 53 centers from 19 countries over the 5 continents were eligible. Overall, 829 patients (median age 65 years [IQR 55; 74]; male, n = 538 [64.9%]) were treated for a HABSI. Included patients comprised 252 (30.4%) COVID-19 and 577 (69.6%) non-COVID-19 patients. The time interval between hospital admission and HABSI was similar between both groups. Respiratory sources (40.1 vs. 26.0%, p < 0.0001) and primary HABSI (25.4% vs. 17.2%, p = 0.006) were more frequent in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients had more often enterococcal (20.5% vs. 9%) and Acinetobacter spp. (18.8% vs. 13.6%) HABSIs. Bacteremic COVID-19 patients had an increased mortality hazard ratio (HR) versus non-COVID-19 patients (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.49-2.45). CONCLUSIONS: We showed that the epidemiology of HABSI differed between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Enterococcal HABSI predominated in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients with HABSI had elevated risk of mortality. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.org number NCT03937245 . Registered 3 May 2019.

Lung and Kidney Perfusion Deficits Diagnosed by Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in COVID–19 Patients: Evidence Supporting Systemic Microangiopathy (preprint)

Objectives: There is increasing evidence of thrombotic events occurring in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We evaluated dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) findings, particularly lung and kidney perfusion, in non-intubated COVID-19 patients. Methods: Thirty-one COVID-19 patients who underwent pulmonary DECT angiography between March 15 and April 30, 2020, and were suspected of having pulmonary thromboembolism were included. Pulmonary and kidney images were reviewed. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the perfused blood volume and iodine maps were performed. Results: DECT images showed perfusion deficits (PDs) in eight patients (25.8%), which were not overlapping with areas of ground-glass opacity or consolidation. Two patients had pulmonary thromboembolism confirmed by CT angiography. Five of 10 patients who had been infected for more than 5 days had PDs documented. Patients with PDs had a longer hospital stay (12.25 ± 8.81 vs 6.83 ± 5.04 days, p= 0.14), higher intensive care unit admission rates (37.5% vs 4.3%, p=0.02), higher CT scores (13.3 ± 8.2 vs 5 ± 5.4, p= 0.02) and more severe disease (50% vs 4.3%, p=0.01). In the PD group, serum ferritin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), fibrinogen, D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and troponin levels were significantly higher, whereas albumin level was lower (p<0.05). D-dimer levels ≥ 0.485 ug/L predicted PD with 100% specificity and 87% sensitivity (AUROC: 0.957). Renal iodine maps showed heterogeneous enhancement consistent with perfusion abnormality in 13 patients (50%). Sodium levels were significantly lower in this group (p=0.03). Conclusions: Pulmonary perfusion abnormalities in COVID 19 patients is associated with more severe disease and in most of the patients can occur without macroscopic pulmonary thromboembolism. High rate of kidney perfusion abnormalities suggests subclinical systemic microvascular obstruction.