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A More Accurate Measurement of the Burden of COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Preprint
in English
| medRxiv
| ID: ppmedrxiv-22275891
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 hospitalizations are a key indicator of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control describes oxygen supplementation as a measure of severe disease. SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive patients hospitalized without hypoxia or requiring oxygen may have been identified incidentally due to routine screening practices. We describe the application of a revised case definition for COVID-19 hospitalization based on the case-patient oxygen requirement on admission. Using data collected from consecutive SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive hospital admissions in December 2021 and January 2022 at a large safety net hospital in Los Angeles County, we highlight differences between patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (i.e., no oxygen requirement on admission or `incidental` infection) and those hospitalized for COVID-19 (i.e., oxygen requirement on admission). We conducted multivariable modeling to determine the effect of age as a positive predictor of COVID-19 hospitalization and vaccination or prior infection as a negative predictor. The revised case-definition resulted in a substantial decrease in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations during the study period 67.5% of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive hospital admissions were not for COVID-19 but with COVID-19. A revised case-definition for COVID-19 hospitalization that includes the oxygen requirement on admission is needed to more accurately monitor the pandemic and inform public health policy.
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Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
medRxiv
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document type:
Preprint