Covid Redux: The Risk to Critically Ill Cancer Patients Remains High

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic there has been an evolution of variant strains that have spread throughout the world. As time has passed, clinicians have appreciated that these variants have different symptomology and clinical course. As our understanding of the disease process has progressed, medical management has evolved. Throughout, cancer patients have represented a uniquely at-risk population. We sought to compare the characteristics of critically ill cancer patients with Omicron variant to those infected with the ancestral strain. METHOD(S) Single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed all cancer patients >=18 years of age with current or past (< 2 years) diagnosis of cancer, who were admitted to ICU with COVID-19. The ancestral strain period was defined as March 1 to June 30, 2020, and the Omicron variant period was December 15, 2021 to April 1, 2022. Demographics, clinical and laboratory data of critically ill cancer patients were extracted from electronic health record and an ICU database. RESULT(S) A total of 127 patients were analyzed (38 Omicron and 89 ancestral strain). Median age was similar (67 years Omicron, 65 ancestral) and slightly higher male (47% Omicron, 58% ancestral). There was a higher number of hematologic malignancy (53% Omicron, 43% ancestral). Mechanical ventilation and vasopressors were less commonly used (58% and 53% Omicron, 67% and 71% ancestral), respectively. Prone positioning was utilized less frequently (47% Omicron, 56% ancestral) as was tracheostomy (11% omicron, 34% ancestral). ICU mortality was similar in both groups, (39% vs 37% however, hospital mortality was higher (55% Omicron group, 45% ancestral). CONCLUSION(S) Critically ill cancer patients infected with the Omicron variant may be less likely to undergo tracheostomy however, they are more likely to die during their hospitalization. Even with higher hospital mortality Omicron patients also seemed to be less acutely ill as their requirement for mechanical ventilation, vasopressors and prone positioning was lower. This should be considered as we counsel patients and set expectations about what might happen during a COVID admission to the ICU.