COVID-19 Mortality in Patients Aged 80 and over Residing in Nursing Homes-Six Pandemic Waves: OCTA-COVID Study.

During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in Spain, 50% of deaths occurred in nursing homes, making it necessary for some hospitals to support these facilities with the care of infected patients. This study compares origin, characteristics, and mortality of patients admitted with COVID-19 during six pandemic waves in the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja in Madrid. It is a retrospective observational study of patients ≥80 years old, admitted with an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a total of 546 patients included, whose final outcome was death or discharge. During the first wave, those from nursing homes had a higher risk of death than those from home; during the two successive waves, the risk was higher for those from home; and in the last two waves, the risk equalized and decreased exponentially in both groups. Men had 72% higher risk of death than women. For each year of age, the risk increased by 4% (p = 0.036). For each Charlson index point, the risk increased by 14% (p = 0.019). Individuals in nursing homes, despite being older with higher comorbidity, did not show a higher overall lethality. The mortality decreased progressively in each successive wave due to high vaccination rates and COVID-19 control measures in this population.

Long-Lasting Olfactory Dysfunction in Hospital Workers Due to COVID-19: Prevalence, Clinical Characteristics, and Most Affected Odorants.

Hospital workers have increased exposure risk of healthcare-associated infections due to the frontline nature of their work. Olfactory dysfunction is highly prevalent. The objectives for this investigation are to study the prevalence of long-lasting olfactory dysfunction associated with COVID-19 infection in hospital workers during the first pandemic wave, to identify clinical characteristics and associated symptomatology, and to analyze how many patients with COVID-19 infection had developed olfactory dysfunction during infection and maintained a reduced olfactory function for approximately 10 weeks after diagnosis. Between June and July of 2020, a cross-sectional study was carried out at the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja San José and Santa Adela in Madrid, Spain. One hundred sixty-four participants were included, of which 110 were patient-facing healthcare staff and 54 were non-patient-facing healthcare staff. Participants were split into three groups, according to COVID-19 diagnosis and presence of COVID-19 related olfactory symptomatology. Participants were asked to complete a structured online questionnaire along with Sniffin' Stick Olfactory Test measurements. In this study, 88 participants were confirmed for COVID-19 infection, 59 of those participants also reported olfactory symptomatology. The prevalence of COVID-19 infection was 11.35%, and the prevalence for olfactory dysfunction was 67.05%. Olfactory dysfunction associated with COVID-19 infection leads to long-lasting olfactory loss. Objective assessment with Sniffin' Stick Olfactory Test points to odor identification as the most affected process. Lemon, liquorice, solvent, and rose are the odors that are worst recognized. Mint, banana, solvent, garlic, coffee, and pineapple, although they are identified, are perceived with less intensity. The findings of this study confirmed a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among the hospital workers.