Associated risk factors for post-COVID-19 mucormycosis at a tertiary care centre: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore risk factors of mucormycosis in COVID-19 recovered patients. Methods: A total of 101 patients, who were diagnosed with mucormycosis after recovery from COVID-19 and admitted to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, a tertiary care hospital in India, were included in the study. The presenting clinical features and associated risk factors were assessed and analyzed subsequently. Results: Of 101, 68 (67.3%) were males, and 33 (32.7%) were females. A total of 89 (88.1%) patients were between 46 and 65 years old. The most common subtypes were rhino-ocular (61.4%), followed by paranasal sinuses (16.8%), rhino-ocular cerebral (16.8%), ocular (3.0%), and pulmonary (2.0%). Diabetes mellitus was present in 71% of cases of mucormycosis as co-morbidities. A total of 76.2% of patients were given systemic corticosteroids in oral or intravenous form during COVID-19 treatment. Severe COVID-19 was present in 45.5% of patients with mucormycosis, while the moderate infection was present in 35.6% of mucormycosis. Most patients had gap between the onset of mucormycosis and COVID-19 <15 d. Conclusions: A lethal confluence of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, corticosteroid usage, and COVID-19 could cause a dramatic rise in mucormycosis. So, clinicians must be aware of these risk factors in patients suffering as well as recovering from COVID-19 to prevent mucormycosis.